Compare towns
Georgetown vs Harvard vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Georgetown has the most affordable homes ($651k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Georgetown | Harvard | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,474 |
6,927Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Harvard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Harvard and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,595±$23kLowest 46% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,200±$23kLowest 16% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
| Harvard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
| Georgetown and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,272Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #140 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Georgetown | Harvard | Reading |
| High school in town | Georgetown High School | The Bromfield High School | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.0 |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.