Compare towns
Northborough vs Reading vs Ware
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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,750 |
25,612Highest |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% 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%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below 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±$24k 10% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269 9% above MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Reading and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Reading | Ware |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.