Compare towns
Reading vs Dennis
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Dennis has the oldest population (median age 59.5).
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 | Dennis |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
14,868Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
59.5±2Highest 49% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
9%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
39.8%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dennis 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 |
$88,154±$10kLowest 15% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$627,100±$28kLowest 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,420±$260Lowest 19% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$2,877Lowest 52% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±9.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 282 in MA | #238 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Dennis-Yarmouth |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
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| 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.