What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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.

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

Measure	Reading	Burlington
People
Population	25,612Lowest	26,274Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA
	Burlington 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%	17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Burlington 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%	58.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Burlington 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	$146,436±$14kLowest 41% above MA
	Reading and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$740,600±$35kLowest 32% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA	$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$6,165Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	5.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#83 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Burlington
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Burlington High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.3Lowest
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.