What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most affordable homes ($809k median).

Medfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Medfield
People
Population	25,612Highest	13,068Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	42.4±3Lowest 6% above MA
	Reading and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	28.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Medfield 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%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%	2.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Reading and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA	$235,800±$32kHighest 127% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA	$911,100±$32kHighest 62% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA	$2,035±$559Highest 15% above MA
	Medfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	63.1%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Highest MA: 10%	2.1%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	32 minHighest 9% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	36.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Medfield 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	#26 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Medfield
High school in town	—	Medfield Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.