Compare towns
Stoneham vs Wayne vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Wayne | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355 |
1,101Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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 41% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| 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 102% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 109% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | RSU 38 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | None in town | 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 |
U.S. 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.