Wakefield, MA

Full City Profile · Massachusetts · Suffolk County County

3.6 /5.0
B+ Good
27,284 Population 3,692/sq mi density
$130,320 Median Income $67,001 per capita
$670,100 Home Value $819,252 Zillow
$1,872 Median Rent 27.6% income on rent
51°F Avg Temperature
175 Violent Crime/100K 409 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.6 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.6 / 5.0
$130,320 median income, 4.5% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.8 / 5.0
$670,100 home value, $1,872/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
175 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
57.0% bachelor's degree or higher

Wakefield, MA

At a Glance

Median Income
$130,320
73% above
$67,001 per capita
Home Value
$670,100
138% above
Zillow: $819,252
Median Rent
$1,872/mo
61% above
27.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
175/100K
54% below
409/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
57.0%
69% above
95.8% high school+
Unemployment
4.5%
25% above
3.3% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
24.0%
25% below
9.2% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
51°F

How Wakefield Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Wakefield's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
173%
Home Value
238%
Rent
161%
Poverty
27%
Bachelor's
169%
Unemployment
125%
Crime
46%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Wakefield a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.6 / 5.0 - Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Wakefield residents earn a median household income of $130,320 , which is 73% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $67,001. The unemployment rate stands at 4.5% (25% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 3.3% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 33,364 business establishments, including 2,747 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Wakefield is $670,100 , 138% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $819,252. Median rent is $1,872/month, with 27.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 105.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1957.

Safety & Crime

Wakefield reports 175 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 54% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 409/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

57.0% of adults in Wakefield hold a bachelor's degree or higher (69% above the national average). 95.8% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Wakefield has an average annual temperature of 51°F (10°C). Winters average 28°F in January while summers reach 73°F in July. Annual precipitation totals 50.0 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 36.

Data Overview

People

Population27,284
Median Age42.9 yrs
Density3,692/mi²
Male / Female51% / 49%
Foreign Born10.2%
Veterans3.9%

Economy

A+
Median Income$130,320
Per Capita$67,001
Unemployment4.5%
Poverty3.3%
County GDP$190,778M
Avg Weekly Wage$2,525

Housing

B+
Home Value$670,100
Rent$1,872
Ownership70.4%
Zillow$819,252
Housing Units11,335
Rent Burden27.6%

Crime

F
Violent175/100K
Property409/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault112/100K
Burglary49/100K

Health

Obesity24.0%
Diabetes6.7%
Smoking9.2%
Heart Disease4.1%
Premature Death6,117/100K

Climate

Avg Temp51°F
Rain50.0 in/yr
AQI36 (Good)
Elevation71 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+57.0%
High School+95.8%
Graduate+25.2%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 22% / D 75%
Commute32 min
Broadband93.0%
Internet Speed216 Mbps
EV Stations24
Libraries29

Did You Know?

The median home in Wakefield was built in 1957.
22.2% work from home.
The nearest airport is Beverly Regional (9 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.528 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA.
10.9% of the population has a disability.
10.2% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 216 Mbps.
There are 2,747 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 26 fatal vehicle crashes.