Compare towns
Reading vs Athol vs Middletown Springs
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 (22.9%).
Athol has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
Middletown Springs has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.6%).
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 | Athol | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
8,801Highest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Reading and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Middletown Springs 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% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs 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% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$82,000±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$262,200±$24k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,595 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.