Compare towns
Reading vs Georgetown vs Wakefield
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%).
Georgetown has the most affordable homes ($651k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Georgetown | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,474Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.8±3.5 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Reading and Georgetown 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% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and 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% |
18.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
56.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Georgetown 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 |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Georgetown 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 |
$651,200±$23kLowest 16% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Georgetown and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,272Lowest 21% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Georgetown and Wakefield 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
84%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #140 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Georgetown | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Georgetown High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.