Compare towns
Wakefield vs Ayer 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 highest household income ($134k).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 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 | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
8,645Lowest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham 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% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Ayer 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% |
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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham 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±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
| Stoneham 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 |
$6,523 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ayer and Wakefield 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% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ayer Shirley School District | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.