Compare towns
Reading vs Douglas vs Walpole vs Wakefield
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 expensive homes ($809k median).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Douglas | Walpole | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
9,207Lowest |
26,388 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole 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 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Walpole 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 60% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Walpole 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 44% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$8,523 42% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Walpole 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Douglas | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Douglas High School | Walpole High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.3Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.