What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wakefield	Glocester
People
Population	27,793Highest	10,221Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S.	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Wakefield and Glocester 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%	22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Glocester 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wakefield and Glocester 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.	$113,508±$7kLowest 41% above U.S.
	Wakefield and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.	$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.	$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average
	Wakefield and Glocester 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.	$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 26% above U.S.	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#179 of 282 in MA	#12 of 38 in RI
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Foster-Glocester · Glocester
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Ponaganset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.