Compare towns
Wenham vs Wakefield vs Groton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wenham has the youngest population (median age 29.3).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Groton has the most kids (28.3% under 18).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wenham | Wakefield | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,929Lowest |
27,793Highest |
11,390 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
41.4±2.7 4% above MA |
| Wakefield and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
28.3%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$192,958±$27k 86% above MA |
| Wenham and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$743,400±$46k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,458±$335Lowest 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±20.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
43.8%±17Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Groton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 3 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.4%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.5%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Wenham and Groton 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 | #74 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #39 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hamilton-Wenham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Groton-Dunstable |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Groton Dunstable Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
13.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.