Compare towns
Reading vs Dummerston vs North Reading 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 renters (17.6% rent).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Dummerston | North Reading | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
2,090Lowest |
15,765 |
28,587Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
43±2.8 11% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.4 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%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
56.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$147,768±$25k 83% 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. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$710,500±$24k 114% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,259±$356Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281 4% above U.S. |
| North Reading and Reading 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. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,693Highest 211% above U.S. |
$9,677 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.5%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Reading and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.1%±4.6 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 | — | #33 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Reading | Milton |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | North Reading High | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | 10.1Lowest |
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.