What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).

Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Ashby
People
Population	699Lowest	3,211Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S.	50.5±3Lowest 30% above U.S.
	Reading and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Reading and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Reading and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Reading and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S.	$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S.	$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S.
	Ashby and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S.
	Ashby and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S.	$6,034Highest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Reading and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	33 minLowest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading and Ashby 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	—	#200 of 282 in MA
School district	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76	North Middlesex
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.