Compare towns
North Reading vs Reading vs Ware vs Holden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Holden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
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 | North Reading | Reading | Ware | Holden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,765 |
25,612Highest |
10,048Lowest |
20,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.8 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.5±1.8Lowest 4% above MA |
| Reading and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.9%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Holden and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.4% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Holden and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$141,923±$11k 37% above MA |
| Reading and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$470,700±$13k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,648±$214 6% below MA |
| North Reading and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,359 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
42.4%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Ware 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and North 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 | #33 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #57 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Reading | Reading | Ware | Wachusett |
| High school in town | North Reading High | Reading Memorial High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Wachusett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.1 |
11.1 |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.