Compare towns
Webster vs Wakefield vs Webster vs Whitman
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 people working from home (24.6%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Whitman has the most homeowners (71.4%).
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 | Webster | Wakefield | Webster | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
27,793Highest |
12,228Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Wakefield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Wakefield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
| Wakefield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.