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Suburb0
Boston

Reading

#3,192 in Best Places to Live in America
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of Boston, MA
  • 31 reviews
    A
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A
    2. Crime & Safety
      B
    3. Housing
      B-
    4. Nightlife
      B+
    5. Good for Families
      A
    6. Diversity
      B-
    7. Jobs
      A-
    8. Weather
      C
    9. Cost of Living
      C
    10. Health & Fitness
      A
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      B
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    Reading is a suburb of Boston with a population of 25,769. Reading is in Middlesex County and is one of the best places to live in Massachusetts. Living in Reading offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Reading there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families live in Reading and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Reading are highly rated.
    About Reading...
    Population
    25,769

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $491,200
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $1,349
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Dense Suburban
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      21%
    • Own
      79%
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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
    B
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      11.4
      282.7
    • Murder
      0
      6.1
    • Rape
      0
      40.7
    • Robbery
      7.6
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      91.3
      500.1
    • Theft
      426
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      30.4
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    B-
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      13%
    • 10-17 years
      11%
    • 18-24 years
      6%
    • 25-34 years
      11%
    • 35-44 years
      13%
    • 45-54 years
      17%
    • 55-64 years
      14%
    • 65+ years
      15%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      28%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      34%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      19%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      16%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      3%
      13%

    Working in Reading

    Jobs
    A-
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $114,354
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Reading

    Places to Work in Reading

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    • Private Schools
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    Reading Reviews

    31 reviews
    All Categories
    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.
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    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.