Population 16,885 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Reading
Household size in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.84 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in North Reading average 2.75 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.84, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
North Reading skews older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.4% of households in North Reading, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 3.0 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in North Reading
Renters in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.1% of households in North Reading rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 30.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the east. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.1% of homes in North Reading are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. North Reading has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in North Reading are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $818 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,317 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,815 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,512 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,694 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in North Reading runs $2,512 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,694 a month from 2006–10, a 207% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 45.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in North Reading
Bachelor's degrees in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.1% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.4% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.0% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
North Reading is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (58.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 12.5 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.7% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.5% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in North Reading: 97.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. North Reading has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in North Reading
| Period | North Reading | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in North Reading has been low: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.7 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
North Reading compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Reading | 2.75 | 42.8 | 8.4% | 15.1% | 3.1% | 1978 | $2,512 | 58.0% | 97.5% | 3.2% |
| Reading | 2.61 | 44.6 | 6.5% | 18.4% | 3.5% | 1962 | $2,054 | 66.9% | 96.6% | 3.3% |
| Middleton | 2.70 | 43.0 | 3.7% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 1986 | $1,485 | 41.9% | 91.0% | 3.3% |
| Wilmington | 2.92 | 42.1 | 7.9% | 11.6% | 3.1% | 1978 | $2,637 | 50.4% | 96.9% | 4.8% |
| Lynnfield | 2.90 | 40.7 | 6.6% | 15.3% | 4.4% | 1968 | $2,516 | 62.2% | 98.4% | 3.2% |
| Wakefield | 2.46 | 42.2 | 5.5% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1956 | $2,117 | 59.7% | 96.2% | 4.3% |
| Andover | 2.67 | 42.2 | 8.1% | 20.5% | 5.7% | 1972 | $2,235 | 75.8% | 97.7% | 5.5% |
| North Andover | 2.67 | 41.6 | 9.0% | 32.3% | 5.9% | 1976 | $2,450 | 61.4% | 96.6% | 3.4% |
| Tewksbury | 2.66 | 45.6 | 6.2% | 15.5% | 3.0% | 1978 | $2,093 | 40.3% | 92.9% | 3.3% |
| Stoneham | 2.46 | 43.1 | 8.0% | 29.0% | 5.2% | 1963 | $2,014 | 56.8% | 95.6% | 2.0% |
| Woburn | 2.58 | 39.8 | 7.7% | 44.5% | 5.6% | 1968 | $2,208 | 46.3% | 94.7% | 7.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Boyertown, PA · Vandalia, OH · Veradale, WA · Verdigris, OK · Vermilion, OH · Brooklyn Park, MD · Brock Hall, MD · Brevard, NC · Brazil, IN · Bradley, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up North Reading. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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