Compare towns
Reading vs Wrentham vs Westford
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%).
Wrentham has the most affordable homes ($655k median).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Wrentham | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
12,297Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2% MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Wrentham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westford 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% |
21.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wrentham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
55.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford and Wrentham 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 60% above MA |
$151,676±$17kLowest 46% above MA |
$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA |
| Westford 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±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$654,900±$26kLowest 17% above MA |
$748,500±$32k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford 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 |
$7,373Lowest 23% above MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40.6%±15.4 MA: 51.8% |
53%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westford and Wrentham 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% |
6.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.9%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Westford 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 | #49 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | King Philip · Wrentham | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | — | King Philip Regional High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.