Compare towns
Reading vs Mendon vs Sutton
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 people working from home (30.2%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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.
| Measure | Reading | Mendon | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
6,325Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Sutton 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% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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 |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Reading and Sutton 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 |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Reading and Mendon 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 |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Sutton 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Mendon-Upton | Sutton |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.