Compare towns
Woburn vs Stoneham vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Woburn | Stoneham | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939Highest |
23,355Lowest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kLowest 7% above MA |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
$671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77 26% above MA |
$2,035±$142Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Burlington 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% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
28 minHighest 4% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Burlington 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 | #169 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Stoneham | — |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Stoneham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
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.