What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wakefield	North Andover
People
Population	27,793Lowest	31,490Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA	39.6±2Lowest about the MA average
	Wakefield and North Andover 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%	21.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	North Andover and Wakefield 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%	17%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and North Andover 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%	61.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$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	$732,900±$37kHighest 30% above MA
	North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA	$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	$7,779Highest 30% above MA	$7,767Lowest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	53%±9Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	32 minLowest 9% above MA
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and North Andover 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	#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 Our Story	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.