Compare towns
Woburn vs Wakefield vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Woburn | Wakefield | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939Highest |
27,793 |
25,612Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Woburn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kLowest 7% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kLowest 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
| Woburn and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #169 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.