Compare towns
Reading vs Webster 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%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
North Reading has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Webster | Webster | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
12,228Lowest |
17,748 |
15,765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Reading and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and North 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
| Reading and North 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 |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% 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 |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Webster | North Reading |
| High school in town | — | — | Bartlett High School | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 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.