Compare towns
Webster vs North Reading vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
North Reading has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Webster | North Reading | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
15,765 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
| North Reading and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| North Reading and Douglas 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | North Reading | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | North Reading High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.1 |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.