Compare towns
Whitman vs Wakefield vs Abington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most affordable homes ($473k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Abington has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Whitman | Wakefield | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Lowest |
27,793Highest |
17,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
39.1±1.8Lowest 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 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Abington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14kLowest 5% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$125,400±$12k 21% above MA |
| Wakefield and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12kLowest 16% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$539,600±$34k 4% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,724±$250Lowest 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 | $5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,045 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.