Compare towns
Wakefield vs Devens vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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.
| Measure | Wakefield | Devens | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
1,723Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
| Devens and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus 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% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Devens 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 29% above MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
| 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 |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,500±$539Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Saugus 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 |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Saugus 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% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | — | #194 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 | 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.