Compare towns
Reading vs Eastham vs Westford
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%).
Eastham has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Eastham | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
5,811Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westford 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% |
40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA |
| Westford 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±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$732,200±$63kLowest 30% above MA |
$748,500±$32k 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford and Reading 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8 MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Westford 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 | #17 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Eastham · Nauset | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Nauset Regional High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.