Compare towns
Wakefield vs Melrose 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 homeowners (70.7%).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Melrose | North Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Lowest |
29,650 |
31,490Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
39.6±2Lowest about the MA average |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| North Andover and Melrose 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% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose 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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$140,670±$9kHighest 35% above MA |
| North Andover 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±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$732,900±$37k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA |
| North Andover and Melrose 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 |
$7,578Lowest 26% above MA |
$7,767 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Andover and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | #98 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Melrose | North Andover |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Melrose High | North Andover High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
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.