Compare towns
Reading vs Hanover 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%).
Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).
Middletown Springs has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
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 | Hanover | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
14,845Highest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.8±1.4Lowest 7% above 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% |
26.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hanover 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% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
56.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hanover 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±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$189,803±$23kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$82,000±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$755,400±$39kHighest 127% above U.S. |
$262,200±$24kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,845±$341Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,208±$438 15% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$9,342Highest 200% above U.S. |
$4,595Lowest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Reading 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Hanover 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 | — | #69 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.