What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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	Townsend
People
Population	15,765Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	North Reading and Townsend 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%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading and Townsend 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%	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend 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%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend 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	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA
	North Reading and Townsend 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	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,693Highest 62% above MA	$6,031Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Townsend 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%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 15% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#33 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	North Reading	North Middlesex
High school in town	North Reading High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.