Compare towns
Reading vs Ashland vs Wakefield
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 highest household income ($166k).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
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 | Ashland | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
18,873Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| 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%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% 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 |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Wakefield 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% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #42 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Ashland | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Ashland High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
14.0Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.