Compare towns
Wakefield vs Townsend vs Milton
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 homeowners (96.8%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Townsend | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
9,100Highest |
4,538Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4 17% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$94,493±$27kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43k about the U.S. average |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,587±$318Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Milton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,663 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 35% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #116 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | North Middlesex | Milton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Nute High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.