What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k median).

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	Middleborough	North Reading
People
Population	24,505Highest	15,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA	43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA
	Middleborough and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32%Lowest MA: 47.3%	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	North Reading and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,706±$72Lowest 3% below MA	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,023Lowest about the MA average	$9,693Highest 62% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.2%±11.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 7% above MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#170 of 282 in MA	#33 of 282 in MA
School district	Middleborough	North Reading
High school in town	Middleborough High	North Reading High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	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.