What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).

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	Auburn
People
Population	25,612Highest	16,970Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA
	Auburn 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 MA: 19.4%	21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Auburn 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$5,289Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	5.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	26 minLowest 12% below MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#106 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Auburn
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Auburn Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1	12.1
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.