Compare towns
Burlington 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
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
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 | Burlington | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274 |
699Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2 18% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Reading and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165 98% above U.S. |
$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Reading 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 | #83 of 282 in MA | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 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.