Compare towns
Hanover vs Reading vs Wakefield vs North Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most kids (26.1% under 18).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
North Reading has the most affordable homes ($711k median).
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 | Hanover | Reading | Wakefield | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,845Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
15,765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Reading and North Reading 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%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and North 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±$13k 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% 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±$39k 34% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$710,500±$24kLowest 26% 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±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| North Reading and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,342 56% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and North Reading 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | North Reading |
| High school in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
12.1Highest |
10.7 |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.