What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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	Webster	Reading
People
Population	17,748Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Webster 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%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Webster 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%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Reading
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	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.