What stands out worked out from the figures below

Petersham has the most affordable homes ($392k median).

Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Petersham	Reading
People
Population	1,185Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Petersham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,750±$20kLowest 7% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,400±$20kLowest 30% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,679±$441Lowest 5% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
	Reading and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,636Lowest 23% below MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Reading and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.8%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 32% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	16.2%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Petersham	Reading
High school in town	None in town	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.