What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).

Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).

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	Hermon
People
Population	27,793Highest	6,727Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S.	41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Wakefield and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hermon 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%	20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hermon 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%	37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hermon 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±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.	$96,629±$22kLowest 20% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.	$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.	$1,406±$202Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.	$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wakefield and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#179 of 282 in MA	#54 of 133 in ME
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Hermon Public Schools
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Hermon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	14.6Highest
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.