Signals
Wakefield
Lawrence
Climate
63 · Bottom 27%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs78 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs34 · Bottom 2%
Schools
75 · Top 20%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Wakefield | Lawrence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,793 | 88,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $134,306 | $60,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,454 | $28,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,759/sq mi | 12,805/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $723,500 | $415,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,958 | $1,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.7% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.6 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.4 | 32.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.29 | 11.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.9% | 16.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.0% | 28.1% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Wakefield
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Lawrence
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Full profiles: Wakefield, MA · Lawrence, MA · How this is calculated: methodology