What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

Reading has the most affordable homes ($809k median).

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	Concord	Reading
People
Population	18,223Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.6±2Highest 19% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Concord and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Concord and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Concord and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA
	Concord and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA	$1,991±$273Lowest 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	53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 11% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Concord 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	#10 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Concord · Concord-Carlisle	Reading
High school in town	Concord Carlisle High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	12.1Highest
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.