Compare towns
Reading vs Suffield vs Wakefield vs Woburn
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).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Wakefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% 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 | Suffield | Wakefield | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
15,702Lowest |
27,793 |
41,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.7 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest 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% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woburn and Suffield 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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$111,185±$9kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$673,500±$17k 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Woburn and Reading 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. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$5,354Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woburn and Suffield 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.6Lowest 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Suffield School District | — | Woburn |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Suffield High School | — | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.