Compare towns
Reading vs Seymour 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).
Seymour has the most affordable homes ($370k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Seymour | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
16,889Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.6±3Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
19.3%±3.9Lowest 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%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
33.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Seymour and Wakefield 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. |
$107,708±$15kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$370,000±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,608±$86Lowest 14% above 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. |
$6,635Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Seymour 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% |
6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±3.5Lowest 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 | #105 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Seymour School District | — |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Seymour High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.