Compare towns
Wakefield vs Scituate vs Stoneham
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 highest household income ($134k).
Scituate has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 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 | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
10,517Lowest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Stoneham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% 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% |
4.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stoneham 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±$23kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Stoneham 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. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Stoneham 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. |
$6,523 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate 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% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Scituate | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Scituate High School | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.