Compare towns
Wakefield vs Reading vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Wakefield | Reading | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
25,612 |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.