Compare towns
Wakefield vs Berlin 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 most kids (20% under 18).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Berlin | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
3,378Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
| Berlin and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus 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±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
| Wakefield and Berlin 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 |
$616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
$603,400±$13kLowest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$2,241±$201 27% above MA |
| Berlin and Saugus 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 |
$7,116 19% above MA |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Berlin 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% |
5% MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Berlin-Boylston | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.