Compare towns
Wakefield vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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 | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 27,793 |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.