Compare towns
Reading vs Swampscott vs Westford
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 people working from home (30.2%).
Swampscott has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Swampscott | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
15,277Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.5±3.5Highest 11% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Swampscott 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 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% above MA |
$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA |
| 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 44% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
$748,500±$32kLowest 33% above MA |
| Reading and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,303±$143 31% above MA |
$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA |
| Westford and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 56% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
$9,695Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8 MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Westford 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% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Swampscott 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Swampscott | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Swampscott High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.