What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($587k 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	Pembroke
People
Population	25,612Highest	18,382Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA
	Pembroke and Reading 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%	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Pembroke 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%	19.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Pembroke 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%	44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Pembroke and Reading 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	$146,285±$17kLowest 41% above MA
	Reading and Pembroke 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	$586,500±$28kLowest 4% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA	$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA
	Pembroke and Reading 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	$6,585Lowest 10% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	42.1%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Pembroke 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 MA: 10%	4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	21.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Pembroke 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	#82 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Pembroke
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Pembroke High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	12.3Highest
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.