Compare towns
Wakefield vs Milton vs Lynnfield
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).
Milton has the most people working from home (29.7%).
Lynnfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Milton | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
28,587Highest |
13,064Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
41.4±2.1 4% above MA |
| Wakefield and Lynnfield 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%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynnfield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Lynnfield 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% |
62.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$175,265±$23k 69% above MA |
| Milton and Lynnfield 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 |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$917,600±$31k 63% above MA |
| Milton and Lynnfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$9,677 61% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
87.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Milton and Lynnfield 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 | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Milton | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Milton High | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
12.0 |
| 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.