Compare towns
Reading vs Oakham 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%).
Oakham has the most affordable homes ($420k median).
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 | Oakham | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
1,639Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest 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% |
21.4%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Oakham 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% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford and Oakham 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 |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
$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 |
$420,100±$20kLowest 25% below MA |
$748,500±$32k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$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 |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest 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 | — | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.