Compare towns
Reading vs Fall River vs Everett vs North Reading
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%).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
North Reading has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Fall River | Everett | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
94,082Highest |
50,045 |
15,765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Reading and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and North 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and North 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
| Reading and North 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 |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| North Reading and Everett 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 |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and North 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | North Reading |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | B M C Durfee High | Everett High | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.3 |
12.1Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.