Compare towns
Nahant vs Reading vs Stockbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nahant has the most renters (21.1% rent).
Reading has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (52.4%).
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 | Nahant | Reading | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
25,612Highest |
2,056Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9 52% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
63.7±3.5Highest 59% above MA |
| Stockbridge and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
8.4%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
47%±7.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stockbridge and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Nahant and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,762±$6kLowest 8% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$146,250±$67k 41% above MA |
| Reading and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99k 33% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$600,000±$99kLowest 7% above MA |
| Reading and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$858±$375Lowest 51% below MA |
| Reading and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615 10% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,652Lowest 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.8%±27Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stockbridge and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
52.4%±19.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stockbridge 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 | #129 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Nahant | Reading | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.