What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Naugatuck has the most affordable homes ($259k 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	Naugatuck
People
Population	25,612Lowest	31,800Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.	39.8±2.4Lowest about the U.S. average
	Reading and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Reading and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7.8%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.	$96,324±$9kLowest 19% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.	$259,100±$13kLowest 22% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.	$1,369±$58Lowest 3% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.	$6,362Lowest 104% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42.2%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Naugatuck and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#116 of 149 in CT
School district	Reading	Naugatuck School District
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Naugatuck High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	15.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.