Compare towns
Wakefield vs Eastham vs Melrose
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 youngest population (median age 42.4).
Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Eastham | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
5,811Lowest |
29,650Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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% |
40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose 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±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$732,200±$63k 30% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average |
$1,970±$149Highest 12% above MA |
| Melrose 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$7,578 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose 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 | #17 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Eastham · Nauset | Melrose |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Nauset Regional High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.