Compare towns
Heath vs Reading vs Goshen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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).
Goshen has the oldest population (median age 58).
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 | Heath | Reading | Goshen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 765Lowest |
25,612Highest |
915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
58±5.8Highest 45% above MA |
| Goshen and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
11%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
31.4%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.9%±3.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Goshen and Heath 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 |
$98,906±$10k 5% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$351,900±$25k 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$869±$727Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,022 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±66.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Goshen and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.1%±7.2Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | — | Reading | — |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.