Compare towns
Reading vs Medfield vs Upton
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).
Medfield has the highest household income ($236k).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k 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 | Medfield | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
13,068 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±3Lowest 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Medfield and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
78.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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±$13k 60% above MA |
$235,800±$32kHighest 127% above MA |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$911,100±$32kHighest 62% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,035±$559Highest 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Medfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
63.1%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Medfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Medfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | — | Medfield Senior High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.