What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Reading has the most homeowners (84.3%).

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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	Wakefield
People
Population	15,765Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
	North Reading and Wakefield 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%	20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading and Wakefield 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%	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield 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	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA
	North Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$710,500±$24kLowest 26% above MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
	Wakefield and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
	North Reading and Wakefield 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	$7,779Lowest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Wakefield 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%	4.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	33 minLowest 14% above MA
Work from home	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	North Reading and Wakefield 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	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	North Reading	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	North Reading High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	10.7Highest
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.