Every month, renters ask Evan the same question: which town north of Boston feels most like a small town while staying close to the city? North Reading is usually the first name in the answer. It is a settled, leafy town of about 15,500 people, roughly 17 miles up I-93 from Boston, with a five-school district and a historic center that has never lost its local character.
What makes North Reading a good place to rent?
The town has a small-town feel with real services behind it. Locally owned shops cluster around the historic center, homeownership is high, and the pace is quiet enough that even the main roads feel residential. Renters here trade a little drive time for a lot of calm, and the trade works for most of them.
How long is the commute to Boston?
The drive is about 17 miles on I-93, roughly 25-35 minutes when traffic is light and closer to 45 at peak. North Reading has no commuter rail station of its own, but the North Wilmington and Reading MBTA stops are a short drive away for anyone who wants to ride the Haverhill line into North Station.
What is there to do outdoors?
Ipswich River Park is the town's main draw: 49 acres along the Ipswich River with a two-mile paved walking path, a canoe launch, playgrounds and sports fields. Harold Parker State Forest and Breakheart Reservation add hundreds of acres of trails within a ten-minute drive.
What are the schools like?
North Reading Public Schools serve about 2,300 students across five schools, and the district carries an A- grade on Niche. The three neighborhood elementary schools, the middle school and the high school all score well on state measures, which is one of the biggest reasons families choose the town.