Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Reading vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($482k 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 | Pinehurst | Reading | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
25,612Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
| Reading and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Pinehurst and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
| Reading and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Halifax and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Halifax |
| High school 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.