Compare towns
Hull vs North Reading vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the most renters (20.4% rent).
North Reading has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Hull | North Reading | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
15,765Highest |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14k 11% above MA |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$96,966±$13kLowest 7% below MA |
| North Reading and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$2,017±$738Lowest 14% above MA |
| North Reading and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089 about the MA average |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| North Reading and Hull 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 | #66 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | North Reading | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Hull High | North Reading High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
10.1 |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.