Compare towns
Wakefield vs Hatfield 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%).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 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 | Hatfield | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
3,325Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
46.8±5Highest 17% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
| Hatfield and Saugus 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% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Saugus 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% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Hatfield 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 |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% 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 |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Wakefield 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% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Hatfield 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Hatfield | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Smith Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
6.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.