Compare towns
Reading vs Dover vs Dedham vs Northborough
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 youngest population (median age 43.7).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Dover | Dedham | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
5,930Lowest |
25,237 |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Northborough and Dover 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham 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% MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Dedham 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA |
| Dover and Dedham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover and 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Dedham | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Dedham High | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
10.8 |
| 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.