Compare towns
Dover vs Reading vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Dover | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Reading | — |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.