What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Wakefield has the most homeowners (70.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westborough	Wakefield
People
Population	21,944Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.8±1.6Lowest 3% below MA	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$141,944±$12kHighest 37% above MA	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA
	Westborough and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$685,300±$31kLowest 22% above MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
	Wakefield and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,106±$151Highest 20% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
	Westborough and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,983Highest 67% above MA	$7,779Lowest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.9%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wakefield and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Highest MA: 10%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	61.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	26.5%±3.7Highest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Westborough 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	#21 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Westborough	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Westborough High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.