Compare towns
Reading vs Killingly vs North Reading vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
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 | Killingly | North Reading | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
17,867 |
15,765Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43±2.8 11% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2 10% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
56.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Westford 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 106% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$147,768±$25k 83% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| 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 143% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$710,500±$24k 114% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32k 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,259±$356 60% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$9,693 211% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.5%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Reading and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #33 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | North Reading | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Killingly High School | North Reading High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.1 |
10.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.