Compare towns
Reading vs Canton vs North Reading 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 most people working from home (30.2%).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
North Reading has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Canton | North Reading | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
24,748 |
15,765Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Reading 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% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±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% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| 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 44% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$710,500±$24kLowest 26% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,259±$356 28% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Canton and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 56% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | North Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Canton High | North Reading High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
13.1Highest |
10.1Lowest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.