United States › Massachusetts › Wakefield CITY
Wakefield Massachusetts · 27,793 residents · 7.39 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 27,793 people, Wakefield is a city in Massachusetts. 60% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $723,500. Few US cities rank higher on income. The median household earns $134,306, about 63% above the national median. There are 3,759 people per square mile.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
60% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 3,759 / sq mi
+12%since 2009
from 3,343 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
24K 25K 26K 27K 28K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wakefield Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $134,306
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,117 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $30,369 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 57.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.376 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 7.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.6%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Education & health services 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
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$723,500
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $240,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,958
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $795 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.0% in 2000
29.3% rent
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96.4%(23,902)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(204)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.5%(23,757)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(755)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data from 39.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 90.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 74.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 84.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 48.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 8.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 87.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 89.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 31.8%(3,663)
Women 15+
Never married 24.5%(2,838)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 9.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17.2%(111)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.5%(94)
Share of the 647 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wakefield, Massachusetts? Wakefield, Massachusetts has about 27,793 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wakefield, Massachusetts? The typical household in Wakefield, Massachusetts earns about $134,306 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wakefield, Massachusetts expensive? In Wakefield, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $723,500, and the typical rent is about $1,958 a month.
How educated are people in Wakefield, Massachusetts? About 59.7% of adults age 25 and over in Wakefield, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wakefield, Massachusetts? About 4.9% of people in Wakefield, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wakefield, Massachusetts grown since 1990? Yes, Wakefield, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,968 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.
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