What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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	Reading
People
Population	101,709Highest	25,612Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Lynn and 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%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
	Reading and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Lowest 10% below MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#277 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Lynn	Reading
High school in town	Lynn English High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	12.1Lowest
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.