Compare towns
Douglas vs Reading vs Wakefield vs Hanson
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
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 | Reading | Wakefield | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
10,660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
| Douglas and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Hanson 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Hanson 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Hanson 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$132,200±$10kLowest 27% above MA |
| Reading and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
12.1 |
10.7 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.