Compare towns
Whately vs Wakefield vs Hatfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has the most homeowners (88.2%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Whately | Wakefield | Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
27,793Highest |
3,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hatfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
| Wakefield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,267±$216 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027 16% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Whately 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 | #198 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whately | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Hatfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Smith Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
6.1Lowest |
| 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.