Compare towns
Reading vs Wolcott 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 highest household income ($166k).
Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Wolcott | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
16,279Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Wolcott and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wolcott 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±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,464±$913Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$5,799Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wolcott 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% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #76 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wolcott School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Wolcott High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.