Compare towns
Weweantic vs Reading vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weweantic has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($282k 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 | Weweantic | Reading | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,452 |
25,612Highest |
1,240Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±13.9 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
| Chester and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±8.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Weweantic and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,481±$39kLowest 40% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,800±$42k 25% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,522 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #50 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Gateway |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.