Compare towns
Reading vs Marblehead 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 renters (17.6% rent).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
North Reading has the most affordable homes ($711k 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 | Marblehead | Milton | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
20,413 |
28,587Highest |
15,765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Lowest 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
71.9% MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 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 |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$147,768±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
| Milton and Marblehead 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 |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$933,200±$31k 66% above MA |
$710,500±$24kLowest 26% above MA |
| Marblehead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| North Reading and Reading 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 |
$8,309Lowest 39% 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% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Marblehead | Milton | North Reading |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | Milton High | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
12.4Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.