Compare towns
Dover vs Reading vs Westford
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 most renters (17.6% rent).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
25,612Highest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% 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%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Dover 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Westford 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±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$187,198±$10k 80% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$748,500±$32kLowest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,436±$422 38% above MA |
| Dover and Westford 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 |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$9,695 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9Lowest 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 | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Reading | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.1 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.