What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wilmington has the highest household income ($168k).

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	Wilmington
People
Population	15,765Lowest	23,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA	42.3±2.2Lowest 6% above MA
	North Reading and Wilmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.1%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wilmington and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	North Reading and Wilmington 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%	50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	North Reading and Wilmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$147,768±$25kLowest 42% above MA	$168,152±$19kHighest 62% above MA
	Wilmington 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±$24kHighest 26% above MA	$680,500±$19kLowest 21% above MA
	North Reading and Wilmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,259±$356Lowest 28% above MA	$2,394±$328Highest 36% above MA
	Wilmington and North 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	$7,704Lowest 29% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%	60.9%±2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Wilmington 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%	3.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	19.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	North Reading and Wilmington 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	#73 of 282 in MA
School district	North Reading	—
High school in town	North Reading High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1	—
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.