What stands out worked out from the figures below

Tyngsborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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	Tyngsborough	Reading
People
Population	12,550Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±2.9Lowest about the MA average	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.6%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Tyngsborough and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$129,348±$18kLowest 24% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,500±$34kLowest about the MA average	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,986±$404Lowest 13% above MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
	Reading and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,426Lowest 24% above MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	72.2%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	6.6%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	18.6%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#174 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical · Tyngsborough	Reading
High school in town	Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.