What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the most affordable homes ($415k median).

Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).

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	Deerfield	Reading
People
Population	5,158Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,824Lowest about the MA average	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Reading and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 40% below MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#156 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Deerfield · Frontier	Reading
High school in town	Frontier Regional	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	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.