Compare towns
Reading vs Hanover 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 people working from home (30.2%).
Hanover has the most kids (26.1% under 18).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Hanover | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
14,845Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover 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% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Hanover 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 |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Hanover 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 |
$755,400±$39k 34% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,845±$341Lowest 5% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Wakefield 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% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 282 in MA | #69 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.