What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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	Northborough	Reading
People
Population	15,750Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±3Highest 13% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Northborough and Reading 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%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Northborough 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%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,199±$19kLowest 47% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
	Reading and Northborough 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	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
	Reading and Northborough 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	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.1%±16.3Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Northborough and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Northborough 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	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro	Reading
High school in town	Algonquin Regional High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.1Highest
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.