What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

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	Worcester
People
Population	15,765Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading and Worcester 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%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,693Highest 62% above MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Worcester 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%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#33 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	North Reading	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	North Reading High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	14.6Highest
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.