What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).

Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).

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	Beverly
People
Population	699Lowest	42,665Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S.	39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22%	18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	53.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S.	$106,044±$7kHighest 31% above U.S.
	Beverly and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S.	$650,300±$13kHighest 95% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,771±$106Highest 25% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S.	$6,836Highest 119% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	55.5%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Reading and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	30 minLowest 14% above U.S.
Work from home	22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading and Beverly 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	—	#144 of 282 in MA
School district	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76	Beverly
High school in town	None in town	Beverly High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.2
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.