What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).

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	Worcester	North Reading
People
Population	207,055Highest	15,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA	$9,693Highest 62% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.6%Highest MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#33 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	North Reading
High school in town	South High Community	North Reading High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	10.1Lowest
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.