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 ($354k 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 |
594Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Windham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%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% |
0.8%±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. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
— | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$5,951Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest 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 | — | #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 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.