What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Whately	Reading
People
Population	1,499Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Whately and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Whately and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Reading and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,563±$15kLowest 12% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,027Lowest 16% below MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Reading and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 21% below MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	20.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Reading and Whately 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	—	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Whately	—
High school in town	None in town	—
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.