Compare towns
Reading vs Nahant 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).
Nahant has the oldest population (median age 60.7).
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 | Nahant | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
3,325Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
11%±3.1Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.6% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Nahant 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 |
$112,762±$6kLowest 8% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$748,800±$99k 33% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Reading and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,777±$334Lowest about the MA average |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 |
$6,615Lowest 10% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±17.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Nahant and Wakefield 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% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #129 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Nahant | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.