What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

Milton has the highest household income ($189k).

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	Milton
People
Population	27,793Lowest	28,587Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA	41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average
	Wakefield and Milton 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%	25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Milton 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%	71.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA	$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA	$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA	$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Lowest 30% above MA	$9,677Highest 61% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Milton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest MA: 10%	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA	1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	31 minLowest 8% above MA
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%
	Milton 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	#55 of 282 in MA
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Milton
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Milton High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	12.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.