Compare towns
Stoneham vs Walpole vs Wakefield
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).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k 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 | Walpole | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
26,388 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 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% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole 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 |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Walpole and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Stoneham 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% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Walpole High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.