Compare towns
Wakefield vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield 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
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Windsor Locks | Plainfield | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
12,579Lowest |
15,141 |
13,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.1 6% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
28%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$175,265±$23kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$917,600±$31kHighest 176% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,676±$219Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynnfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lynnfield 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
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.