What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).

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	Hanover	Reading
People
Population	14,845Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA
	Hanover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,400±$39kLowest 34% above MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
	Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,845±$341Lowest 5% above MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
	Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,342Highest 56% above MA	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	4.8%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 10% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical	Reading
High school in town	South Shore Vocational Technical High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	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.