What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ashland	Reading
People
Population	18,873Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA
	Ashland and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,444Lowest 24% above MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.5%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 26% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#42 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Ashland	Reading
High school in town	Ashland High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.