Compare towns
Northborough vs Hingham vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northborough has the most affordable homes ($620k median).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Reading has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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.
| Measure | Northborough | Hingham | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,750Lowest |
24,283 |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Hingham and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,199±$19kLowest 47% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
| Hingham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
| Hingham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983Lowest 33% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
4.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and 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 | #35 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Hingham | Reading |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Hingham High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.