Compare towns
Reading vs Lancaster 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 highest household income ($166k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k 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 | Lancaster | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,606Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| 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%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Lancaster 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 |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Lancaster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Wakefield 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% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest 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 | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.