Compare towns
Reading vs Lancaster vs Milton
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 renters (17.6% rent).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Lancaster | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,606Lowest |
28,587Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Milton 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 |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Nashoba | Milton |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.