Compare towns
Reading vs Wakefield vs Sutton
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%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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 | Wakefield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612 |
27,793Highest |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton 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 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Sutton 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 |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Reading and Sutton 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 |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| 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 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sutton 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 MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Sutton |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| 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.