What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Ashland
People
Population	25,612Highest	18,873Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
	Reading and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Ashland 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 MA: 47.3%	60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland and Reading 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 60% above MA	$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA
	Ashland and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$7,444Lowest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	3.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#42 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Ashland
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Ashland High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.