Compare towns
Reading vs Mashpee vs Westford
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%).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Mashpee | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
15,384Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westford 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% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford and Mashpee 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 |
$95,299±$13kLowest 8% below MA |
$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA |
| Westford 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 |
$562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$748,500±$32k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford 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 |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Mashpee 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% |
5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Westford 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Mashpee | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | — | Mashpee Middle-High School | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.