Compare towns
Reading vs Pelham vs Northborough
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 expensive homes ($809k median).
Pelham has the most affordable homes ($448k median).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Pelham | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
1,335Lowest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
45±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Northborough 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Reading 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% |
64.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$113,750±$24kLowest 9% above MA |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Reading and Northborough 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 |
$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA |
$620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Reading and Northborough 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 |
$7,472Lowest 25% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northborough and Pelham 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% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Pelham | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.