Compare towns
Reading vs Danvers vs Milton vs North Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k 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 | Reading | Danvers | Milton | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
28,098 |
28,587Highest |
15,765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
| Milton 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±$22k 44% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| North Reading and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 56% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,677 61% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 8% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Milton 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 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Milton | North Reading |
| High school in town | — | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Milton High | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.4 |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.