Compare towns
Sherborn vs Reading vs Topsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sherborn has the most people working from home (49.1%).
Reading has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Topsfield 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.
| Measure | Sherborn | Reading | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,427Lowest |
25,612Highest |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.3 7% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
| Reading and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Sherborn and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 82.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Topsfield and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,026,800±$72kHighest 83% above MA |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$853,400±$40k 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$316Highest 33% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
| Sherborn and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±26.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Sherborn and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 49.1%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #53 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sherborn | — | Topsfield |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.