Compare towns
Berkley vs Reading vs Taunton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berkley has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Taunton has the most renters (37.9% rent).
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 | Berkley | Reading | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,829Lowest |
25,612 |
60,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.1 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Berkley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Taunton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Berkley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Berkley and Taunton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,205±$49k 39% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$79,283±$7kLowest 24% below MA |
| Reading and Berkley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,200±$45k 9% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$422,800±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,324±$86Lowest 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,018 about the MA average |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,344Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
13%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.1%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #155 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berkley | Reading | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
16.6Highest |
| 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.