Compare towns
Wakefield vs Barre vs Lynnfield
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).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k 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 | Barre | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
5,572Lowest |
13,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
| Barre 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% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre 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 29% above MA |
$107,727±$13kLowest 4% above MA |
$175,265±$23kHighest 69% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield 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% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
87.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Quabbin | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Quabbin Regional High School | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.0 |
| 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.