What stands out worked out from the figures below

Georgetown has the most affordable homes ($651k median).

North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Georgetown	North Reading
People
Population	8,474Lowest	15,765Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA
	North Reading and Georgetown 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%	22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Georgetown and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%	16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Georgetown and North Reading 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%	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	North Reading 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±$23kHighest 46% above MA	$147,768±$25kLowest 42% above MA
	Georgetown and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$651,200±$23kLowest 16% above MA	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,223±$506Lowest 26% above MA	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA
	North Reading and Georgetown 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	$9,693Highest 62% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.7%±22.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Highest MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 15% above MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	North Reading and Georgetown 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	#140 of 282 in MA	#33 of 282 in MA
School district	Georgetown	North Reading
High school in town	Georgetown High School	North Reading High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	10.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.