Compare towns
Wakefield vs Thomaston vs North Andover
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 people working from home (24.6%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
North Andover has the highest household income ($141k).
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 | North Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
7,492Lowest |
31,490Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
39.6±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
21.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| North Andover 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%±1.9Lowest 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% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$140,670±$9kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$732,900±$37kHighest 120% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,223±$223Highest 57% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$5,915Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$7,767 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston and North Andover 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% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr 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 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and North Andover 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 | #98 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Thomaston School District | North Andover |
| High school in town | — | Thomaston High School | North Andover High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| 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.