Compare towns
Wakefield vs Marblehead vs North Andover
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 affordable homes ($724k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
North Andover has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Marblehead | North Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
20,413Lowest |
31,490Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.6±2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and North Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$140,670±$9k 35% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$732,900±$37k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,767Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Andover and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #98 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — | North Andover |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — | North Andover High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 13.3Highest |
| 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.