Compare towns
Wakefield vs Gray vs Stoneham vs Saugus
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).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Saugus has the oldest population (median age 44.5).
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 | Gray | Stoneham | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
8,429Lowest |
23,355 |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Gray 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Stoneham 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. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,035±$142 44% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Stoneham 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,523 109% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Saugus 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #117 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Stoneham | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Stoneham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.