Compare towns
Stoneham vs Wakefield vs Needham
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 affordable homes ($672k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Needham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer 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%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
10.7 |
— |
| 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.