Compare towns
Wakefield vs Berlin vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
3,378Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$121,336±$12kLowest 17% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$616,600±$55kLowest 10% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Berlin 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 |
$7,116Lowest 19% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Berlin 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% |
5%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest 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 | #179 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 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.