Compare towns
Reading vs Upton vs Milton vs Northborough
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).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Milton | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
8,189Lowest |
28,587Highest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Upton and Northborough 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% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Lowest 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%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$153,199±$19kLowest 47% 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 |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,474±$281 16% below MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Reading and Northborough 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 |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$7,983Lowest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northborough 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% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Milton | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Blackstone Valley | Milton High | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.2 |
12.4Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.