Compare towns
Reading vs Wakefield vs Williston vs Northborough
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 most people working from home (30.2%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Northborough has the most homeowners (83.1%).
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 | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
27,793Highest |
10,144Lowest |
15,750 |
| 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% |
+11.2% 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. |
45±3 16% above U.S. |
| Williston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Northborough 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%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest 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% |
65.5% 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% |
5.1%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Northborough 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. |
$153,199±$19k 90% above U.S. |
| Reading and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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. |
$620,000±$24k 86% 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. |
$1,919±$269 36% 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. |
$7,983 156% 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%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.1%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northborough and Williston 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest 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. |
1980 same as 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. |
31 min 17% above 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% |
22.5%±5.3 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 | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | 10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.