What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).

Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	North Reading	Auburn
People
Population	15,765Lowest	16,970Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA
	Auburn and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Auburn and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Auburn and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA	$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA
	North Reading and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA	$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,693Highest 62% above MA	$5,289Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%	5.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	26 minLowest 12% below MA
Work from home	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#33 of 282 in MA	#106 of 282 in MA
School district	North Reading	Auburn
High school in town	North Reading High	Auburn Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	12.1Highest
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.