Compare towns
Wakefield vs Exeter vs Stoneham vs Lynnfield
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Lynnfield has the most kids (28% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Stoneham | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
16,151 |
23,355 |
13,064Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2 8% above U.S. |
41.4±2.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Wakefield 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
28%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Stoneham 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$175,265±$23kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
$917,600±$31kHighest 176% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142 44% above U.S. |
$2,676±$219Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynnfield and Exeter 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±4.7Highest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #117 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Stoneham | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Exeter High School | Stoneham High | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.