What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

North Reading has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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	Boston	North Reading
People
Population	666,442Highest	15,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA	$710,500±$24kLowest 26% above MA
	Boston and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Lowest 22% above MA	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA
	North Reading and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA	$9,693Highest 62% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.6%Highest MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	North Reading and Boston 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	#258 of 282 in MA	#33 of 282 in MA
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	North Reading
High school in town	Boston Latin School	North Reading High
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	10.1Lowest
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.