Compare towns
Wrentham vs Reading vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wrentham has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Wrentham | Reading | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,297 |
25,612Highest |
9,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Wrentham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.1% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wrentham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,676±$17k 46% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$104,106±$13kLowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $654,900±$26k 17% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| Reading and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,373 23% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.6%±15.4 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plainville and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #49 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Wrentham | Reading | Plainville |
| High school in town | King Philip Regional High | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| 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.