Compare towns
Reading vs Plainfield vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Plainfield | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
1,314Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield 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 106% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Wakefield 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.