Compare towns
Reading vs Cohasset 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%).
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k median).
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 | Cohasset | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,427Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.9±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Cohasset and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset 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% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest 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% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Cohasset and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Cohasset and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Cohasset 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 | #41 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Cohasset | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Cohasset High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.0Lowest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.