Compare towns
Wakefield vs Lancaster vs Stoneham
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 expensive homes ($724k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 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 | Lancaster | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
8,606Lowest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham 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±$14k 29% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Lancaster and Stoneham 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Wakefield 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Nashoba | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | 10.7 |
| 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.