Compare towns
Auburn vs Reading vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Auburn | Reading | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
25,612Highest |
11,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.2±2.1Lowest 8% above MA |
| Auburn and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$112,828±$11kLowest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
| Reading and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Auburn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Reading | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Reading Memorial High | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.