Compare towns
Reading vs Truro vs Wellfleet
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 kids (22.8% under 18).
Truro has the most people working from home (35.2%).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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 | Truro | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
1,708Lowest |
4,404 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+22.5% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
64.1±5.8Highest 60% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
| Truro and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
45.6%±10.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Truro and Wellfleet 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% |
57.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±5.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Truro and Wellfleet 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 |
$118,984±$72k 14% above MA |
$117,938±$27kLowest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Truro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$888,200±$117kHighest 58% above MA |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
| Truro and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
— | $1,563±$597Lowest 11% below MA |
| Reading and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$3,997Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Truro and Wellfleet 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
35.2%±22.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Truro and Reading 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 | — | — |
| School district | Reading | Truro | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.