Compare towns
Reading vs Scituate vs Wakefield
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 highest household income ($166k).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 51.7).
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 | Scituate | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
5,796Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Scituate 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% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate 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% |
64.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Scituate 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 |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Scituate and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| 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 56% above MA |
$8,345 39% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Scituate 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 MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Scituate 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | — | — |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.