Wakefield dates to 1638, and 32% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 97% of U.S. towns · #59 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
96 places in town are on the National Register, among them four historic districts with 76 buildings between them. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1818.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Wakefield’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wakefield is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #59 of 283 in Massachusetts. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wakefield’s overall grade.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Wakefield’s 66.6 sits near the middle of its state (57% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 185 historic buildings outnumber those of 93% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.4 points). Two sources give 1638.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Wakefield’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wakefield was first settled in 1638 and was originally known as Lynn Village. It officially separated from Lynn and incorporated as Reading in 1644 when the first church (First Parish Congregational Church) and the first mill were established. This first corn mill was built on the Mill River on Water Street, and later small saw mills were built on the Mill River and the Saugus River.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Wakefield. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Lawrence sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Wakefield.
Every building
Wakefield, building by building, 1887–1923
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1638, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Wakefield’s post office opened in 1818, and the census of 1850 counted 2,407 people here.
How does Wakefield rank for history?
Wakefield is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #59 of 283 in Massachusetts. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Wakefield?
96 listings: 91 buildings, among them the Elisha Knight Homestead (listed 1984, the first), 4 historic districts with 76 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 185 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Wakefield?
32% of Wakefield’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.4 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1956.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikidata (11), the National Register of Historic Places (96), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
