Compare towns
Reading vs Wakefield vs Windsor Locks 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).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Northborough has the oldest population (median age 45).
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 | Windsor Locks | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612 |
27,793Highest |
12,579Lowest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Northborough 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%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest 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%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%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% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below 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. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% 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% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.1%±16.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest 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% |
77.1% 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. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% 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% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Windsor Locks School District | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Windsor Locks High School | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7 |
8.9Lowest |
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.