What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).

Devens has the highest household income ($189k).

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	Devens
People
Population	27,793Highest	1,723Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA	48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Devens 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%	21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Devens 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	$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA
	Devens 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	$556,800±$96kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA	$1,500±$539Lowest 15% below MA
	Wakefield and Devens 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	$5,556Lowest 7% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Devens 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%	25.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	28 minLowest 4% below MA
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Devens 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	—
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	—
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.