Compare towns
Reading vs Coventry vs Wakefield vs Milton
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%).
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
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 | Coventry | Wakefield | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
12,326Lowest |
27,793 |
28,587Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.4±3.8Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Coventry 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Milton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$108,213±$5kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Milton 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 143% above U.S. |
$330,000±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,232±$330Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281 4% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield 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. |
$5,284Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Milton 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 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Coventry School District | — | Milton |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Coventry High School | — | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.9Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.