Compare towns
Milton vs Prospect vs Reading vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Prospect | Reading | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,587 |
9,458Lowest |
25,612 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Prospect and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Milton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$126,394±$18k 57% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Milton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
$355,400±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22k 143% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,800±$433 27% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Boston and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
$6,504 109% above U.S. |
$9,320 199% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±31.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boston and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Milton 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Milton | Regional School District 16 | Reading | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Milton High | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.