Compare towns
Wakefield vs Douglas vs Lynnfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Lynnfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Wakefield | Douglas | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
9,207Lowest |
13,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
| Douglas and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynnfield and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Lynnfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$175,265±$23kHighest 69% above MA |
| Lynnfield and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
87.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lynnfield and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Douglas | — |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
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.