Rank
85
B
Wakefield
5 schools · 1 high school · 4 elementary schools · Wakefield
Wakefield is a suburban community located about 15 miles north of Boston, in the North Shore region. The district operates four elementary schools and Wakefield Memorial High School, which serves a population of approximately 25,000 residents. With a 96.4% graduation rate and strong academic performance, Wakefield offers a solid educational foundation for its students. The town has deep historical roots, dating back to its incorporation in 1694, and today balances suburban residential character with convenient access to Boston's employment and cultural opportunities.
Avg MCAS ELA
57.6%
#105 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
58.8%
#80 of 326
Avg SAT
1,147
#102 of 290
Attendance
92%
#287 of 328
Graduation Rate
96.4%
#110 of 288
AP Pass Rate
69.9%
#159 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$20,743
#201 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$94,881
#130 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 56% | 60% | — | 504 | 258 |
| Grade 4 | 56% | 59% | — | 503 | 290 |
| Grade 5 | 50% | 46% | 59% | 499 | 253 |
| Grade 6 | 53% | 49% | — | 501 | 256 |
| Grade 7 | 56% | 51% | — | 503 | 271 |
| Grade 8 | 59% | 51% | 52% | 501 | 277 |
| Grade 10 | 58% | 48% | 65% | 502 | 219 |
| HS Science | — | — | 58% | 503 | 209 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 79.2%
Asian: 3.8%
Hispanic: 9.6%
Black: 3.2%
Multi-Race: 3.7%
Am. Indian: 0.1%
Pac. Islander: 0.3%
Female: 49.1%Male: 50.8%Non-binary: 0.1%
High Schools in Wakefield
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
121
B
Wakefield Memorial High
SAT
1,147
ELA
59%
Math
50%
Grad
96.4%
121
B
Wakefield Memorial High
1,147
59%
50%
69.9%
96.4%
Elementary Schools in Wakefield
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
154
B+
Greenwood
ELA
70%
Math
59%
Attend.
93.5%
Class
23
154
B+
Greenwood
70%
59%
93.5%
23
236
B
Woodville School
ELA
63%
Math
58%
Attend.
92%
Class
21
236
B
Woodville School
63%
58%
92%
21
288
B
Dolbeare
ELA
48%
Math
62%
Attend.
91.9%
Class
22
288
B
Dolbeare
48%
62%
91.9%
22
341
B
Walton
ELA
48%
Math
65%
Attend.
92.8%
Class
22
341
B
Walton
48%
65%
92.8%
22
District Operations
Attendance
#287 of 328Attendance Rate92%
Avg Days Absent15
Chronically Absent (10%+)21.1%
Chronically Absent (20%+)3.6%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#201 of 325In-District Per Pupil$20,241
Total Per Pupil$20,743
Total FTE Students3,491
Teacher Salaries
#130 of 325Average Salary$94,881
Teacher FTE Count287
Salary vs. Town Income1.6x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.6x the town's per capita income ($59,382). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#194 of 327Avg Class Size18
English Learners3.7%
Students w/ Disabilities19.8%
Total Students3,413
Staffing & Retention
#57 of 327Teacher Retention91.1%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers291
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Wakefield
Avg Assessed Value
$820,088
#63 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$9,628
Income Per Capita
$59,382
#89 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#77
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.17%
Tax as % of Income16.21%(above avg)
Bond RatingAAA(highest)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$131.6M+1.83% levy growth(strong)
Residential$112.9M
Commercial/Industrial$18.7M
Residential Share75.91%(typical)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 4.3% (2.5% base + 1.83% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (75.91%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$13.0M10.3% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $125.8M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 3,422(92.7%)
Vocational: 108(2.9%)
Charter: 77(2.1%)
Private: 49(1.3%)
Home School: 30(0.8%)
Total: 3,690