Compare towns
Stoneham vs Wakefield vs Ware vs Grafton
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Ware | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,355 |
27,793Highest |
10,048Lowest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware 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%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Stoneham 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%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
| Wakefield and Grafton 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$525,300±$37k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,504±$169 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,117 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Grafton 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ware | Grafton |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.