Compare towns
Gardner 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
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Gardner | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% 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 | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.