The Town FilesReading, Massachusetts
Community in Middlesex County · population 25,518 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $809,000
- Household income
- $165,912
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 43.7
Reading is a community of 25,518 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $809,000, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better transit than 95% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 90% of Massachusetts towns, more walkable than 89% of Massachusetts towns.
How Reading ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Reading is worth $809,000, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $165,912, which is more affordable than 41% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,991 a month. 82.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Reading | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $809,000 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,991 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $165,912 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 82.4% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Reading
| People | Reading | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66.3% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.5% | — |
| Work from home | 30.2% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Reading
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 50.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 63.5 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Reading since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 29, 1974 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 28, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 11, 2006.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Reading itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Reading
9 public schools with 3,850 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Memorial High | 9-12 | 1,097 | 12.9 |
| Walter S Parker Middle | 6-8 | 451 | 12.2 |
| J Warren Killam | K-5 | 421 | 14.0 |
| Arthur W Coolidge Middle | 6-8 | 403 | 12.6 |
| Joshua Eaton | K-5 | 392 | 14.5 |
| Birch Meadow | K-5 | 371 | 11.6 |
| Alice M Barrows | K-5 | 356 | 14.8 |
| Wood End Elementary School | K-5 | 249 | 13.1 |
| RISE PreSchool | PK-PK | 110 | 13.8 |
Towns near Reading
- Wakefield, MA3.0 mi · 27,090 people · home $723,500
- North Reading, MA3.2 mi · 15,554 people · home $710,500
- Lynnfield, MA3.4 mi · 13,000 people · home $917,600
- Wilmington, MA3.6 mi · 23,349 people · home $680,500
- Woburn, MA4.1 mi · 40,876 people · home $673,500
- Stoneham, MA4.2 mi · 23,244 people · home $671,900
- Burlington, MA5.4 mi · 26,377 people · home $740,600
- Melrose, MA6.0 mi · 29,817 people · home $822,900
Reading questions
Is Reading, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Reading scores better for retirees than 61% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 21%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.7).
How much does a house cost in Reading?
The median owner-occupied home in Reading is valued at $809,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $165,912, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,991 a month.
What is the weather like in Reading?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.0 inches of precipitation a year and 63.5 inches of snow.
Does Reading get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Reading since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 29, 1974. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)