Compare towns
Norwell vs Reading vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwell has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% 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 | Norwell | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,361Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Norwell and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Norwell and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell and Wakefield 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.1%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Norwell 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 | #80 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norwell | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Norwell High | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.