Compare towns
Wakefield vs Ayer vs Saugus
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 highest household income ($134k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Ayer | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
8,645Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,057Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Ayer 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ayer Shirley School District | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.