What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Webster
People
Population	25,612Highest	17,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Reading and Webster 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%	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Webster 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%	19.6%±2.5Lowest 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%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Webster
High school in town	—	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.