What stands out worked out from the figures below

Medfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.4%).

Reading has the most affordable homes ($809k median).

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	Medfield	Reading
People
Population	13,068Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±3Lowest 6% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	28.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Medfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Reading and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$235,800±$32kHighest 127% above MA	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,100±$32kHighest 62% above MA	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,035±$559Highest 15% above MA	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA
	Medfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.1%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest MA: 10%	3.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	36.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Medfield 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	#26 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Medfield	—
High school in town	Medfield Senior High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7	—
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.