Demo listing
$949,000
Demo Residence One · Wakefield, MA
4 beds2.5 baths2,400 sq ftColonial
Open house Sunday · Listing courtesy of [Listing brokerage] · Demo data
Living in Wakefield, MA
A lake to walk around,a town to come home to.
Wakefield is a Middlesex County town about 10 miles north of Boston, centered on Lake Quannapowitt and a downtown along Main Street. Single-family detached homes make up 55 percent of its housing, and about a third of its structures predate World War II. The Haverhill Line stops at Wakefield and Greenwood stations.
An evening on Lake Quannapowitt. Photo: RedSoxFan274 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.
About Wakefield
Wakefield is a town of about 27,000 people, 10 miles north of Boston, and it is laid out around Lake Quannapowitt. A paved loop of about 3.6 miles circles the lake, and Wakefield Common sits at its southern end. From there, downtown runs south along Main Street toward Crystal Lake, the town's drinking-water reservoir. The town began as part of Reading. Its South Parish broke off as South Reading in 1812, and in 1868 the town took the name of Cyrus Wakefield, who gave land and money for a new town hall.
Two Haverhill Line stations, Wakefield and Greenwood, serve the town, and I-95/Route 128 runs along its northwest edge. Greenwood covers nearly all of southern Wakefield, while Montrose, Woodville and Lakeside fill in the east and north. On Saturdays from June through October, the farmers market sets up on North Avenue by Hall Park, on the lake's shore. Breakheart Reservation, a state park with two lakes and a swimming beach at Pearce Lake, has an entrance on Hemlock Road, the one closer to the beach.
Wakefield's current housing plan, the Housing Production Plan for FY2026-2030, was adopted by the Town Council on June 23, 2025 and by the Planning Board on July 15, 2025, and is awaiting state certification. Under the state's MBTA Communities law, which places Wakefield in the commuter rail category, Town Meeting turned down three proposed multifamily districts in April 2024, then approved multifamily zoning districts and the matching bylaw change on November 16, 2024; the state's list as of October 21, 2026 shows Wakefield as compliant. The largest project under way is The Basin at 200 Quannapowitt, where Cabot, Cabot & Forbes began demolition in May 2023 for four buildings that the developer says will hold more than 440 apartments: the first, with 64 units, opened in August 2025, and the last, with 86 units, was scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. A town master plan, drafted with MAPC on the foundation of the earlier Vision 2030, is still being refined.
Homes in Wakefield
The town's Housing Production Plan for FY2026-2030 reports that single-family detached homes are 55 percent of all housing units, down from 62 percent in 2011, and that about a third of structures were built before World War II. Two-family homes, buildings of 20 to 49 units, and three- and four-unit buildings are the next most common types. The plan was adopted by the Town Council on June 23, 2025 and the Planning Board on July 15, 2025.
Neighborhoods and villagesWakefield
Where you mightlive in Wakefield.
Downtown (Wakefield Square)
Runs from Wakefield Junction, north of Crystal Lake, to the southern shore of Lake Quannapowitt.
Greenwood
Covers nearly all of southern Wakefield and has its own commuter rail station.
Lakeside
North-central Wakefield, along the whole eastern shore of Lake Quannapowitt and bordering Reading to the north.
Montrose
Much of northeastern Wakefield, bordering Lynnfield.
Woodville
Much of central-eastern Wakefield.
Wakefield Park
A residential subdivision on Park Avenue between Summit Avenue and Chestnut Street, laid out in 1888 on former farmland and marketed in the 1890s as a garden suburb; its core was listed on the National Register in 1990.
Getting around
Commuting from Wakefield
The Haverhill Line stops at Wakefield and Greenwood on the way to North Station, and MBTA bus route 137 also serves the town. I-95/Route 128 runs along the northwest border with exits in town, Route 129 runs through as Main Street, and the town notes that it sits near the junction of I-93 and I-95/128.
- Haverhill Line: Wakefield, Greenwood
Check current schedules with the MBTA; compare the trip from each address before you buy.
Schools
Public schools
Wakefield is served by Wakefield Public Schools. Review the district's profile with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and confirm school assignment for any address with the district.
DESE district profileThings to doWakefield
Places to knowin Wakefield.
Lake Quannapowitt
A lake with a paved loop of about 3.6 miles, popular for walking, running and recreation.
Wakefield Common
The town green on the south shore of Lake Quannapowitt, where downtown begins; it is the center of the Common District, listed on the National Register in 1990.
Hall Park and the Wakefield Farmers Market
A lakeshore park on North Avenue; the market runs Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., from mid-June through October.
Breakheart Reservation
A DCR park with two lakes, a beach at Pearce Lake and an extensive trail system, entered from Hemlock Road.
Lucius Beebe Memorial Library
The public library at Main and Avon Streets downtown, opened in 1923.
Colonel James Hartshorne House
The oldest house in town, at 41 Church Street, built before 1681 and enlarged several times; it was deeded to the town in 1929 and is kept by the Col. James Hartshorne House Association.
Church-Lafayette Streets Historic District
About seven acres of late 18th- and early 19th-century houses on Church Street, just south of the lake, and Greek Revival houses on Lafayette Street, laid out in 1824; listed on the National Register in 1989.
Little Red School House
The former West Ward School, a one-room schoolhouse that now houses the Wakefield Historical Society.
History
1644
Incorporated as part of the town of Reading, after first settlement in 1638 as Lynn Village.
1812
The South Parish separated from Reading and was incorporated as South Reading on February 25.
1844
The railroad between Wilmington and Boston was chartered and built through town; it later became part of the Boston and Maine main line.
Home prices
The Wakefield housing market
| Calendar year | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family median sale price | $822,500 | $830,000 | +0.9% |
| Single-family sales | 178 | 195 | +9.6% |
| Condominium median sale price | $560,000 | $599,500 | +7.1% |
Source: The Warren Group, MA December 2025 Sales, Prices by Town. Geography: town of Wakefield. Year-to-date figures through December, so calendar years 2024 and 2025. Not live data and not a valuation of any home.
More recent, all home types: the median sale price was $786,979 for the three months ending August 2026, with a median of 21 days on market and a 103.3% sale-to-list ratio in August (Redfin, accessed October 10, 2026). Six ways to enjoy Wakefield this fall.
Read it for your own home
A townwide median is a starting point. Your best comparisons are recent closed sales that resemble your home in location, size, condition and style.
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Asked aboutWakefield.
Nearby guides
More guides in North of Boston
What is the median home price in Wakefield, MA?
For calendar year 2025, The Warren Group reports a single-family median sale price of $830,000 in Wakefield, across 195 sales. In 2024 the median was $822,500 on 178 sales. Source: The Warren Group, MA December 2025 Sales, Prices by Town.
Does Wakefield have commuter rail?
Yes. The MBTA Haverhill Line stops at Wakefield and Greenwood stations on its way to North Station in Boston.
Which school district serves Wakefield?
Wakefield Public Schools. Review its profile with DESE.
How long is the walk around Lake Quannapowitt?
The town describes the paved loop around the lake as approximately 3.6 miles.
What is the property tax rate in Wakefield, MA?
For fiscal year 2026, Wakefield's rates are $11.74 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential property and $22.40 per $1,000 for commercial, industrial and personal property, according to the town.
Has Wakefield adopted MBTA Communities zoning?
Yes. Town Meeting approved multifamily zoning districts and the matching bylaw change on November 16, 2024, and the state's compliance list (as of October 21, 2026) shows Wakefield as compliant with the MBTA Communities law.
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406-250-7620Sources for this guide
- Town of Wakefield
- 2020 Census population
- MBTA commuter rail
- Massachusetts DESE district profile
- The Warren Group, 2025 sales by town
- Housing
- Property tax rates, FY2026
- Wakefield Park
- Lake Quannapowitt
- Wakefield Common
- Hall Park and the Wakefield Farmers Market
- Breakheart Reservation
- Lucius Beebe Memorial Library
- Colonel James Hartshorne House
- Church-Lafayette Streets Historic District
Researched by The Oberdorfer Team. Updated . Places and facts can change; check with the source before you rely on them.