What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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	Reading
People
Population	8,474Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	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%	22.8%±2.2Lowest 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%±2.9Lowest 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%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Georgetown and Reading 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	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
	Reading and Georgetown 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	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA	$1,991±$273Lowest 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	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.7%±22.5Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Georgetown and Reading 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%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#140 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Georgetown	Reading
High school in town	Georgetown High School	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.