Compare towns
Wakefield vs Scituate vs Saugus
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%).
Scituate has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Scituate | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
10,517Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Saugus 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% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Saugus 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% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Saugus 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. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$5,265Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Saugus 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% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Scituate | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Scituate High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.8Highest |
— |
| 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.