Compare towns
Wakefield vs Putnam vs Danielson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Danielson has the youngest population (median age 34.5).
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 | Putnam | Danielson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
9,292 |
4,209Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Putnam 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson 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±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,009 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danielson 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Putnam School District | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Putnam High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.