Compare towns
Reading vs Wellfleet 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 affordable homes ($809k median).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Wellfleet | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
4,404Lowest |
28,587Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4Lowest 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% |
35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$117,938±$27kLowest 13% above 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±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Milton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,563±$597 11% below MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
| Reading and Wellfleet 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 |
$4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Milton and Wellfleet 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% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4Lowest 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 | — | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wellfleet | Milton |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.