Compare towns
Wakefield vs Windham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
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 | Windham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
19,188Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| 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.