Compare towns
Stoneham vs Wakefield vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Stoneham | Wakefield | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355 |
27,793Highest |
23,302Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | — | Wareham |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | — | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.