Compare towns
Reading vs Suffield vs Wolcott vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Suffield | Wolcott | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
15,702Lowest |
16,279 |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5 14% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| 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 143% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$748,500±$32k 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,799Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westford and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #76 of 149 in CT | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Suffield School District | Wolcott School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | — | Suffield High School | Wolcott High School | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
10.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.