Compare towns
Reading vs Hingham vs Wakefield vs Northborough
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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Hingham | Wakefield | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
24,283 |
27,793Highest |
15,750Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Hingham and Northborough 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% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham 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% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough 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±$13k 60% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Hingham 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 44% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA |
| Hingham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Northborough 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% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and 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 | #14 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Hingham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Hingham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.