Compare towns
Pelham vs Reading vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Pelham | Reading | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
25,612Highest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±8.4 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.8% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Reading and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kLowest 9% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,600±$33k 20% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Reading and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,472 25% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Pelham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Pelham | Reading | Whately |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.