Compare towns
Douglas vs Hanover vs North Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
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.
| Measure | Douglas | Hanover | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
14,845 |
15,765Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Douglas and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| North Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$147,768±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Hanover and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,845±$341 5% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| North Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$9,342 56% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| North Reading and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #69 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | North Reading |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | South Shore Vocational Technical High | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
10.3Highest |
10.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.