Compare towns
Reading vs Amherst 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).
Amherst has the most affordable homes ($538k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Amherst | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
11,861Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Amherst 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% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Amherst 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% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Amherst 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% |
65.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and Amherst 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. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Reading and Amherst 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. |
$537,600±$30kLowest 62% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% 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 | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Reading 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Souhegan Coop High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.