Compare towns
Reading vs Hardwick vs Wakefield 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%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Hardwick | Wakefield | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
2,684Lowest |
27,793Highest |
15,765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Hardwick and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Wakefield 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 |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above 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 |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| 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 56% above MA |
$4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Quabbin | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | North Reading |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.7 |
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.