Compare towns
Lancaster vs Reading vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Reading and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Lancaster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.