Compare towns
Wakefield vs Epping vs Lynnfield vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Lynnfield has the most kids (28% under 18).
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Epping | Lynnfield | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
7,430Lowest |
13,064 |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.4±2.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Epping and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
28%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus and Epping 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 66% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$175,265±$23kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$917,600±$31kHighest 176% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$2,676±$219Highest 89% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,049Lowest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynnfield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lynnfield 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #27 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Epping School District | — | Saugus |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Epping High School | — | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.