Compare towns
Reading vs Upton vs Dedham vs Milton
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%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k 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 | Upton | Dedham | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,189Lowest |
25,237 |
28,587Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Dedham 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% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Milton 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±$22k 44% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,474±$281 16% below MA |
| Dedham and Reading 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Milton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham | Milton |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.2 |
10.4Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| 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.