Compare towns
Reading vs Needham vs Wakefield vs Woburn
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 oldest population (median age 43.7).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Wakefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% rent).
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 | Needham | Wakefield | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Lowest |
32,459 |
27,793 |
41,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$111,185±$9kLowest 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$673,500±$17kLowest 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,221±$77 26% above MA |
| Needham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Woburn 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Woburn |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.9 |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.