What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wakefield	Boylston
People
Population	27,793Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston 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%	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA
	Boylston and Wakefield 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	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA
	Boylston 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	$7,266Lowest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston 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%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	27 minLowest 8% below MA
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Boylston 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	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Berlin-Boylston
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Tahanto Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.