Compare towns
Wakefield vs Epping vs Melrose vs Stoneham
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 highest household income ($134k).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 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 | Melrose | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
7,430Lowest |
29,650Highest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Epping and Melrose 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%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Melrose 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Stoneham 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 66% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
| 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±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$7,578 143% above U.S. |
$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Melrose 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #62 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Epping School District | Melrose | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Epping High School | Melrose High | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.