What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).

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	Westford	Reading
People
Population	24,690Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±1.2Lowest 7% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Reading and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	73.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA	$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA
	Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$748,500±$32kLowest 33% above MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,436±$422Highest 38% above MA	$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA
	Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,695Highest 62% above MA	$9,320Lowest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53%±8Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2% MA: 10%	3.2% MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 min 6% above MA	31 min 6% above MA
Work from home	27%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Westford 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	#20 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford	Reading
High school in town	Westford Academy	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.