Compare towns
Reading vs Windsor Locks vs Plainville 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%).
Windsor Locks has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Windsor Locks | Plainville | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
12,579Lowest |
17,551 |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +11.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
45±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Northborough and Plainville 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% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Plainville 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% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7k 4% 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. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$620,000±$24k 86% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,919±$269 36% above U.S. |
| Reading and Northborough 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$7,983 156% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 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% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Northborough 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Reading | Windsor Locks School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Windsor Locks High School | Plainville High School | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
8.9Lowest |
11.4 |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.