Compare towns
Northborough vs Reading vs Upton vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Swampscott has the most renters (24.1% rent).
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 | Reading | Upton | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,750 |
25,612Highest |
8,189Lowest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
| Upton and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269 9% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
| Swampscott and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Swampscott 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Reading | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Blackstone Valley | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.2 |
11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.