Compare towns
Winchester vs Wakefield vs Winchester
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 affordable homes ($724k median).
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 | Winchester | Wakefield | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,406Lowest |
27,793Highest |
23,406Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1.9Highest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.5±1.9Highest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,279±$481Highest 29% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,279±$481Highest 29% above 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 | 39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 8% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #11 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchester | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | Winchester High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.