What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the shortest commute (33 min average).

Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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	Canton
People
Population	27,793Highest	24,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA	42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA
	Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Canton 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±$14kLowest 29% above MA	$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA
	Canton 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	$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA
	Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA	$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 30% above MA	$6,560Lowest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Canton 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%	5.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	73.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 14% above MA	36 minHighest 23% above MA
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Canton 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	#81 of 282 in MA
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Canton High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	13.1Highest
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.