Compare towns
Reading vs Upton vs Webster vs North Reading
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%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Upton | Webster | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
8,189Lowest |
17,748 |
15,765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% 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%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
| Reading and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| North Reading 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and North 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Webster | North Reading |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Bartlett High School | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
11.6Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.