Wakefield, MASS., a town in Middlesex co., about 10 mi. n. of Boston, on the Boston & Maine railroad. It contains rattan works, foundries, a piano factory, a shoe factory, a flour mill, machine shops and other works. There are two banks, a public library and a town high school. It was settled about 1639, was incorporated as South Reading in 1812 and was given its present name in 1868. Population in 1910, 11,404.