Compare towns
Wakefield vs Gardner vs Lynnfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Gardner | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
21,148 |
13,064Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
| Gardner 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 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner 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% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner 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±$14k 29% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$175,265±$23kHighest 69% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
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.