Compare towns
Reading vs Wakefield vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Wakefield | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
27,793Highest |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Wakefield 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 106% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Reading | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.