Compare towns
Wakefield vs Dover vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Dover | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
5,930Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Dover 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Wakefield 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 14% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.