Compare towns
Reading vs Peabody vs Milton
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%).
Peabody has the most affordable homes ($596k median).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k 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 | Peabody | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Lowest |
54,695Highest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Peabody and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest 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% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody 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% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Milton 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±$22k 44% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
| Reading and Peabody 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 |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Milton 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% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Milton 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Peabody | Milton |
| High school in town | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| 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.