What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilbraham has the most affordable homes ($416k median).

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	Wilbraham	Reading
People
Population	14,572Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±2.7Highest 11% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Wilbraham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4%	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Wilbraham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wilbraham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wilbraham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,051±$14kLowest 17% above MA	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$416,000±$25kLowest 26% below MA	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,175±$241Lowest 33% below MA	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,658Lowest 11% above MA	$9,320Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.1%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Wilbraham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 9% below MA	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	12.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#88 of 282 in MA	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Hampden-Wilbraham	Reading
High school in town	Minnechaug Regional High	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	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.