What stands out worked out from the figures below

Heath has the most affordable homes ($295k median).

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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.

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

Measure	Heath	Reading
People
Population	765Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Heath and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Heath and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,750±$23kLowest 5% below MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,991±$273 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,438Lowest 26% below MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Heath and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.6%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Heath and 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	—	#50 of 282 in MA
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.