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CITY · 2020 ACS

Wakefield

Massachusetts · 27,090 residents · 7.39 sq mi
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The short version

With 27,090 people, Wakefield is a city in Massachusetts. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $557,800. 54% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. The median household earns $103,696, about 56% above the national median. At a median age of 42.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. The poverty rate is 5.0%, under the national 12.8%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.9
US median: 38.8
More educated
54% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

27,090
+9%since 2000
from 24,804 in 2000
1990 – 2024
42.9
+10%since 2000
from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
7.39 sq mi
Population, 19902024
24K25K26K27K28K19902000201020202024Wakefield
202428K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.5%(1,490)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.4%(1,458)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.2%(1,410)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.2%(1,403)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(1,304)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.5%(3,387)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.9%(3,753)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.5%(3,660)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.3%(4,156)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.8%(2,915)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.2%(1,421)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.7%(733)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$103,696
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,117 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$53,524
+76%since 2000
from $30,369 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
64.1%
+7.0 ptssince 2009
from 57.1% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
5.0%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information9.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade7.7%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services7.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration6.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Arts, entertainment, food3%
US avg: 2%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$557,800
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $240,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,513
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $795 in 2000
US average: $1,124
71.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 72.0% in 2000
28.7% rent
2.48 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
5.4
+11%since 2009
from 4.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.4%(23,902)
Black0.4%(106)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(204)
Asian1.4%(353)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic85.7%(23,223)
Black1.5%(410)
Hispanic / Latino4.2%(1,146)
Asian4.2%(1,143)
Other1.8%(489)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.6%(169)
Cuban0.6%(164)
Puerto Rican0.5%(132)
Argentine0.5%(131)
Salvadoran0.3%(82)
Dominican0.2%(67)
Colombian0.2%(57)
Guatemalan0.1%(26)
Chilean0.1%(25)
Peruvian0.1%(22)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese1.2%(318)
Asian Indian0.6%(162)
Filipino0.4%(105)
Vietnamese0.1%(29)
Thai0.1%(27)
Cambodian0.1%(22)
Ancestry
Irish32.4%(8,762)
Italian26.1%(7,060)
English12.2%(3,308)
German6.1%(1,648)
French Canadian4.8%(1,302)
Polish4.3%(1,159)
American3.6%(979)
French3.4%(923)
Portuguese2.4%(642)
Scottish2.3%(611)
Swedish1.8%(485)
Greek1.6%(421)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Canadian1.5%(393)
Russian1.3%(340)
Lithuanian1.1%(308)
Dutch0.6%(171)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(164)
Armenian0.5%(123)
British0.5%(123)
Brazilian0.4%(118)
West Indian0.4%(114)
Jamaican0.3%(84)
Lebanese0.3%(76)
Ukrainian0.3%(72)
Finnish0.2%(64)
Norwegian0.2%(64)
Belgian0.2%(59)
Swiss0.2%(54)
Welsh0.2%(49)
Iranian0.2%(46)
Arab0.1%(39)
Austrian0.1%(35)
Egyptian0.1%(33)
Bulgarian0.1%(28)
Czech0.1%(28)
Slovak0.1%(25)
Romanian0.1%(23)
Hungarian0.1%(22)
Croatian0.1%(19)
Syrian0%(12)
Jordanian0%(10)
Danish0%(10)
Slovene0%(8)
Section 05

Education

53.6%
+13.9 ptssince 2000
from 39.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
95.6%
+5.0 ptssince 2000
from 90.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
22.1%
+7.6 ptssince 2000
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

33.0 min
+71%since 2000
from 19.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
72.6%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 77.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
3.3%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.7%
−5.3 ptssince 2011
from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
69.8%
−5.0 ptssince 2011
from 74.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
84.3%
US average: 73.3%
57.0%
+8.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

49.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
50.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
7.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
2.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2013
from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
93.9%
US average: 91.9%
90.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married31.8%(3,663)
Married58%(6,676)
Widowed3.7%(426)
Divorced6.5%(748)
Women 15+
Never married24.5%(2,838)
Married56.9%(6,592)
Widowed7.8%(908)
Divorced10.7%(1,245)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

2.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2013
from 2.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
77.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.2%
US average: 13.7%
17.5%
US average: 17.6%
9.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
87.0%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
25.0%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)17.2%(229)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)20.4%(271)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era31.9%(424)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.1%(121)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II9.2%(122)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,329 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Wakefield, Massachusetts?

Wakefield, Massachusetts has about 27,090 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wakefield, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Wakefield, Massachusetts earns about $103,696 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 $557,800, and the typical rent is about $1,513 a month.

How educated are people in Wakefield, Massachusetts?

About 53.6% 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 5.0% 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 2,265 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →