Compare towns
Milton vs Marblehead vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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.
| Measure | Milton | Marblehead | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,587Highest |
20,413Lowest |
25,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
| Milton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31k 66% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
| Marblehead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Marblehead | Reading |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.