Compare towns
Wakefield vs Bow vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Bow | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
8,335Lowest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2 8% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Stoneham 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 66% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Bow School District | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Bow High School | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.