Compare towns
Pembroke 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
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($587k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Pembroke | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,382Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Pembroke and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Pembroke and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,285±$17k 41% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $586,500±$28kLowest 4% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Pembroke and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,585Lowest 10% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #82 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pembroke | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Pembroke High School | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
12.1 |
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.