Wakefield, Massachusetts
Among the top 3% of US places for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 18% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 80% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US places
- top 4% for airport distance
- top 6% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 2% for cost of living
Wakefield is a mid-size city in Massachusetts with about 27,000 residents. It grades A+ for safety & wellbeing and D for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, natural disaster risk, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and cost of living.
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Wet · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
57%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.9 in
humid 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$126k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$82kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$646k95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 10% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 6% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.08%better than 45% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
Sales Tax6.25%better than 81% of US places
Estimated total tax burden16.61%better than 13% of US places
Unemployment4.0%better than 48% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.0 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall63.5 inbetter than 8% of US places
Sunny Days181 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 64% of US places
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 74% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk22.8better than 94% of US places
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 62% of US places
School Quality96.8better than 84% of US places
Violent Crime400/100kbetter than 71% of US places
Property Crime440/100kbetter than 73% of US places
Community
Population27,05495th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.360th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1846th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+641st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.0%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.0%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.7%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.1%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time33 minbetter than 14% of US places
Walkability11.7/20better than 91% of US places
Airport Distance10 mibetter than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.0%better than 76% of US places
Amenities Nearby157.83better than 65% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 35% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wakefield an affordable place to live?
- Wakefield is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $82k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wakefield?
- The median home value in Wakefield is $646k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wakefield?
- Median household income in Wakefield is $126k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wakefield?
- Median gross rent in Wakefield is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wakefield safe?
- Wakefield is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 400/100k (better than 71%). Property crime is 440/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wakefield?
- Wakefield averages 73°F in July and 29°F in January, with 50.0 in of annual precipitation and about 181 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wakefield?
- Public-school quality in Wakefield is above average, scoring better than 84% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wakefield?
- The average one-way commute in Wakefield is 33 min.
Other places in Suffolk County
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)