What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

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	Boxford
People
Population	25,612Highest	8,208Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Boxford and Reading 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%	21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Boxford 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Boxford 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±$13kLowest 60% above MA	$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA	$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Highest MA: 10%	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Boxford 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	#34 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Boxford · Masconomet
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Masconomet Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	12.2Highest
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.