Compare towns
Wakefield vs Suffield vs Melrose vs Lynnfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Lynnfield has the most kids (28% under 18).
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 | Suffield | Melrose | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
15,702 |
29,650Highest |
13,064Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
28%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Melrose 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 66% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$175,265±$23kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20k 147% above U.S. |
$917,600±$31kHighest 176% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,970±$149 39% above U.S. |
$2,676±$219Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,578 143% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynnfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Melrose and Lynnfield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #62 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Suffield School District | Melrose | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Suffield High School | Melrose High | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.9 |
12.8Highest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.