Compare towns
Reading vs Windham vs Walpole vs Wakefield
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 expensive homes ($809k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($687k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Windham | Walpole | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
16,038Lowest |
26,388 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Walpole 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$171,500±$16k 112% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Windham and Walpole 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. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$687,100±$20kLowest 107% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,523 173% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Wakefield 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Walpole 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #107 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Windham School District | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Walpole High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.3 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.