Compare towns
Reading vs Stowe vs Westford
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 most people working from home (30.2%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Stowe | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
5,285Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Reading 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kLowest 95% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32k 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,458±$242Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$7,161Lowest 130% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Westford 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 | — | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Stowe Town School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Stowe High School | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.