What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).

North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).

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	Lynn	North Reading
People
Population	101,709Highest	15,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Lynn and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Lynn 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	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Lowest 10% below MA	$9,693Highest 62% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 8% above MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#277 of 282 in MA	#33 of 282 in MA
School district	Lynn	North Reading
High school in town	Lynn English High	North Reading High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	10.1Lowest
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.