Compare towns
Mashpee vs Reading vs Wakefield vs Dennis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mashpee has the most affordable homes ($562k median).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Dennis has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Mashpee | Reading | Wakefield | Dennis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,384 |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
14,868Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
59.5±2Highest 49% above MA |
| Dennis and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
9%±2Lowest 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+ | 33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
39.8%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Mashpee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$88,154±$10kLowest 15% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$627,100±$28k 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,420±$260Lowest 19% below MA |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762 37% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$2,877Lowest 52% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±9.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dennis and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #238 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Dennis-Yarmouth |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.