What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

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	Boxford	Reading
People
Population	8,208Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%	3.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Boxford 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	#34 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Boxford · Masconomet	Reading
High school in town	Masconomet Regional High School	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	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.