Compare towns
Reading vs Sutton vs Upton vs Wilbraham
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 most expensive homes ($809k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Wilbraham has the most affordable homes ($416k median).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Wilbraham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
14,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±2.7 11% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wilbraham 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% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
51.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wilbraham and Sutton 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 |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$122,051±$14kLowest 17% above MA |
| Reading and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$416,000±$25kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,175±$241 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,658Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53.1%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wilbraham and Upton 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% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Upton 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 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #88 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Minnechaug Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.6 |
11.2Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.