Compare towns
Windsor vs Reading vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most homeowners (96.2%).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Windsor | Reading | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065 |
25,612Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kLowest 31% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,484±$316Lowest 16% below MA |
| Reading and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Windsor 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 | — | — | Quabbin |
| 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.