Compare towns
Wakefield vs Thomaston vs Lynnfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Lynnfield has the most kids (28% under 18).
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 | Thomaston | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
7,492Lowest |
13,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
41.4±2.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
28%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lynnfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thomaston 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±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$175,265±$23kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$917,600±$31kHighest 176% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,676±$219Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$5,915Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynnfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Thomaston School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Thomaston High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
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.