Compare towns
Wakefield vs Walpole vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
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 | Walpole | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
26,388 |
23,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham 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% MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Stoneham 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 29% above MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
| Wakefield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Walpole and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Wakefield 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Walpole High | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.