What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most affordable homes ($809k median).

Newton has the most expensive homes ($1265k 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	Newton
People
Population	25,612Lowest	89,044Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	42.1±0.9Lowest 5% above MA
	Reading and Newton 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%	20.5%±1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Newton 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%	81.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	11.1%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA	$190,304±$9kHighest 83% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA	$1,264,900±$43kHighest 125% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA	$2,370±$81Highest 35% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	43.3%±4.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	4.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	70%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	27 minLowest 9% below MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.2%±2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Newton 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	#25 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Newton
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Newton North High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.