Compare towns
Wakefield vs Gardner vs Saugus
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 most people working from home (24.6%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Gardner | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
21,148Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Saugus and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Saugus 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 |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus 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% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #194 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 | 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.