Compare towns
Wakefield vs Needham vs Stoneham
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Stoneham has the most affordable homes ($672k 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 | Wakefield | Needham | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
32,459Highest |
23,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
| Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest 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+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Stoneham |
| High school in town | — | — | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.