What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).

Longmeadow has the most affordable homes ($454k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Longmeadow
People
Population	25,612Highest	15,696Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	44.6±1.7Highest 12% above MA
	Longmeadow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.8%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Longmeadow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Longmeadow 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.9%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$149,601±$24kLowest 44% above MA
	Reading and Longmeadow 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	$454,100±$20kLowest 19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$1,682±$423Lowest 5% below MA
	Reading and Longmeadow 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	$9,236Lowest 54% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	58%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	4.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	24.7%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Longmeadow 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	#51 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Longmeadow
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Longmeadow High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.