Compare towns
Reading vs Barnard vs Wakefield vs North Reading
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 people working from home (30.2%).
Barnard has the most affordable homes ($403k 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 | Barnard | Wakefield | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
1,211Lowest |
27,793Highest |
15,765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43±2.8 11% above U.S. |
| Reading and North 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 U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
56.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and North 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 106% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$147,768±$25k 83% above U.S. |
| Reading and North 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 143% above U.S. |
$402,600±$71kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$710,500±$24k 114% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,372±$80Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,259±$356Highest 60% above U.S. |
| North Reading and Reading 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. |
$6,038Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$9,693Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.5%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and North 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | North Reading |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.7 |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.