Suburb
Reading
- grade AOverall Grade
- Suburb of Boston, MA
- Rating 4.05 out of 5 37 reviews
Report Card
- Public Schoolsgrade A minus
- Crime & Safetygrade B
- Housinggrade B minus
- Nightlifegrade B+
- Good for Familiesgrade A
- Diversitygrade B minus
- Jobsgrade B+
- Weathergrade C+
- Cost of Livinggrade C
- Health & Fitnessgrade A
- Outdoor Activitiesgrade A
- Commutegrade B
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Real Estate
Median Home Value
$562,800
National
$217,500Median Rent
$1,354
National
$1,062Sponsored Mortgage Options for Reading
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Reading Rankings
Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.
Crime & Safety
Crime & Safety
grade B
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Assault11.9national 282.7
- Murder0national 6.1
- Rape0national 40.7
- Robbery0national 135.5
Property Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Burglary59.3national 500.1
- Theft371.5national 2,042.8
- Motor Vehicle Theft27.7national 284
Residents
Working in Reading
Jobs
grade B+
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$132,731
National
$62,843Places to Work in Reading
Top Public Schools Serving Reading
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Reading Reviews
Rating 4.05 out of 5 37 reviews
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I have lived in Reading for about 5 years with my husband and 2 children and it has been wonderful to live so close to Boston with the commuter rail available and the brand new library here. However, in the time since we bought our home 5 years ago the schools have gone significantly down hill and the downtown area has as well with a lot of businesses closing and no innovative solutions being implemented to revive it. Also the population is predominantly white and, this is just my opinion having met many of my neighbors, a bit snobby and not as liberal-minded as them seem to think they are. It would be wonderful if they attempted to find solutions for the problems Reading is facing other than just raising taxes and throwing more money at them.
Reading is an absolutely wonderful town. We moved here w/ our kids a few years ago (after living in 2 of the more "highly rated" Boston suburbs) and have never regretted our decision. Reading has a great town atmosphere, small but functional downtown with a # of shops including a great coffee shop, several restaurants and an amazing food, beer, wine and gourmet store. The town is building more mixed use so is getting more crowded but this is happening w/ every suburb close to Boston. You are right off 2 major freeways and have easy access to N. Station via Rail stop in downtown. The people here are generally warm, highly educated and have a strong sense of community. Lovely historical homes, strong educational system, tree lined streets & tons of families.
I have lived all over the USA and some other countries. We moved to the Boston area for a job and found Reading a perfect balance of education, affordability and location. Reading has a pretty strong sense of community and people show up for events and festivals.
There isn't much of a downtown, but there are a number of stores & restaurants in town and close by. On two major freeways, there is good access to them, so you don't have to trudge through multiple towns just to get to one. Boston airport (and Boston city) are 20-minutes away with no traffic.
Typical of New England towns, most of the streets are in disrepair, and living is pretty close-in. There are many streets with no sidewalks or just on one side, sometimes disappearing then reappearing at the next property or block. Though the power lines are all above ground, we have had very few issues with blackouts.
Reading is a safe, quality living experience and I only recommend it to those who wish to keep it that way.
There isn't much of a downtown, but there are a number of stores & restaurants in town and close by. On two major freeways, there is good access to them, so you don't have to trudge through multiple towns just to get to one. Boston airport (and Boston city) are 20-minutes away with no traffic.
Typical of New England towns, most of the streets are in disrepair, and living is pretty close-in. There are many streets with no sidewalks or just on one side, sometimes disappearing then reappearing at the next property or block. Though the power lines are all above ground, we have had very few issues with blackouts.
Reading is a safe, quality living experience and I only recommend it to those who wish to keep it that way.