Compare towns
Reading vs Bow vs Reading vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Reading | Bow | Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,335Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Bow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$9,320 199% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.