Compare towns
Barnard vs Reading vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most affordable homes ($403k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Barnard | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Reading and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.