Compare towns
Prospect vs Reading vs Wakefield vs Coventry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($330k 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 | Prospect | Reading | Wakefield | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,458Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
12,326 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.4±3.8 17% above U.S. |
| Prospect and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18k 57% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$108,213±$5kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$330,000±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433 27% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,232±$330Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504 109% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$5,284Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #41 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Coventry School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Coventry High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.7 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.