Compare towns
Medway vs Reading vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medway has the most affordable homes ($617k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Medway | Reading | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,436Lowest |
25,612Highest |
14,845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±1.4 4% above MA |
| Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $173,750±$18k 67% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $617,300±$21kLowest 10% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$755,400±$39k 34% above MA |
| Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,575±$205Lowest 11% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,845±$341 5% above MA |
| Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,730Lowest 46% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.3%±21.1 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.7%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #40 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #69 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medway | Reading | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Medway High | Reading Memorial High | South Shore Vocational Technical High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.8Highest |
12.1 |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.