Compare towns
Wakefield vs Monroe vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
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 | Monroe | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
122Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
— | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Monroe 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe 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 |
— | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
— | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$2,053Lowest 66% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 14% above MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 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.