Compare towns
Andover vs Reading vs Townsend vs Weston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Weston has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Andover | Reading | Townsend | Weston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
699 |
9,100Highest |
685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
60.5±7Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Weston and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
44.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$115,000±$20k 42% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$537,700±$77kHighest 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,375±$729 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$7,076Highest 127% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Weston and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.