Real Estate Investing in Reading, Massachusetts (01867)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Middlesex County • Population: 25,474 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 01867 (Reading, MA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 25.2 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Reading, MA (01867)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $929,771
Avg Monthly Rent $3,074
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $154,505
% Renters 16.2%

Market Analysis: 01867 Reading

ZIP 01867 inside Middlesex County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $930K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 01867 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Nearby ZIPs in Reading have seen price recovery that 01867 has not matched. Middlesex County data supports the view that the spread is structural rather than temporary.

Who lives in 01867 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

seems to the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Reading:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 68/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.7%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $3,074/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
🏠

Property Strategy for 01867

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
3.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+7.9% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$241,381/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $446,988 $2,210 3.6% +5.7% $446,988
2BR $653,056 $2,620 2.9% +6.3% $326,528
3BR $863,691 $3,140 2.6% +7.1% $287,897
4BR $1,087,969 $3,470 2.3% +7.7% $271,992
5BR $1,206,906 +7.9% $241,381

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$989K$861K$732K$604K$476K$348KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$3,314$3,097$2,880$2,662$2,445$2,228Mar 2025Nov 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 01867 Compare?

Metric 01867 Reading Massachusetts
Home Value $929,771 $929,771 $645,115
5-Year CAGR 5.7% 5.7% 7.0%
Avg Rent $3,074 $3,074 -
Cap Rate 2.6% 2.6% -
💡 Why Invest in 01867? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 01867 (Reading, MA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Middlesex County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Green Ocean Property Management offers investment property management and condo association management services in Boston and surrounding areas like Allston, Brighton, Cambridge, and Quincy. summary from their website

HOA
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McDonough Property Management offers full-service property management and HOA management in the Greater Boston Area, covering maintenance, inspections, legal compliance, and communication. summary from their website

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New England Property Management & Maintenance offers property management for multi/single-family homes, apartments, rental properties, and condo associations in Brookline, MA and Cambridge, MA. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.6%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.7%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $929,771
Monthly Rent $3,074
Price-to-Rent 25.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.0%
Cap Rate 2.6%
5-Year IRR 8.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.7% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +30.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.6%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
2.6%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 01867

Population: 25,474

💰 Median Household Income
$154,505
This area
$154,505
State
$107,356
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
16.2%
This area
16.2%
State
28.1%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.9%
This area
1.9%
State
-8.0%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
64.5%
This area
64.5%
State
32.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
44.2 years
This area
44.2 years
State
22.8 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
2.6%
This area
2.6%
State
13.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 87.2%
Asian 6.4%
Other/Mixed 6.0%
Hispanic/Latino 4.5%
Black/African American 0.4%
👶 Under 18
23.8%
This area
23.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
20.1%
This area
20.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
2.7%
This area
2.7%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 01867

A+ Avg School Grade
9 Schools
13.0:1 Avg Class Size
$20,946 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Birch Meadow

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
371 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Walter S Parker Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
451 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Alice M Barrows

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
356 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Arthur W Coolidge Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
403 Students
👨‍🏫
12.5:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A+ Excellent

J Warren Killam

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
421 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Joshua Eaton

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
392 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Wood End Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
249 Students
👨‍🏫
12.7:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A Very Good

Reading Memorial High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,097 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student
A Very Good

RISE PreSchool

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
110 Students
👨‍🏫
12.5:1 Class Size
💰
$20,946 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Woodville School

📚 Pre-K – 04 Elementary
📍 30 Farm Street, Wakefield
👥
450 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$24,351 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Wakefield Memorial High

📚 09 – 12 High School
📍 60 Farm Street, Wakefield
👥
840 Students
👨‍🏫
10.1:1 Class Size
💰
$24,351 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Dolbeare

📚 K – 04 Elementary
📍 340 Lowell Street, Wakefield
👥
447 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$24,351 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Galvin Middle School

📚 05 – 08 School
📍 525 Main Street, Wakefield
👥
1,052 Students
👨‍🏫
11.6:1 Class Size
💰
$24,351 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Northeast Metro Regional Vocational

📚 09 – 12 High School
📍 100 Hemlock Rd, Wakefield
👥
1,343 Students
👨‍🏫
11.2:1 Class Size
💰
$29,102 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 1,628 Off-Campus Students
C+
Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics
163 students · 3.3 mi
C+
Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing
35 students · 5.8 mi
C
EINE Inc
40 students · 7.3 mi
D
Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing
195 students · 7.6 mi
C
Empire Beauty School-Malden
101 students · 7.6 mi
C
New England Hair Academy
102 students · 7.7 mi
C
North Shore Community College
4,833 students · 8.0 mi
D
Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics and Massage Therapy
370 students · 8.4 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,628 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there empty rentals in Reading, MA?

Expect elevated vacancy in Reading, MA. Rents at $3,074/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

Is MA a landlord-friendly state?

For rental operators, Reading, MA rates as tenant-protective. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

What are home prices like in Reading, MA?

Expect median prices around $930K in Reading, MA. The market has run at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, so entry costs have been consistent.

Can I live-in-and-rent in Reading, MA?

House hacking in Reading, MA is reasonable to execute. Prices around $930K and rents of $3,074/mo solid owner-occupant economics.

What is the typical renter like in Reading, MA?

Expect a solid tenant pool in Reading, MA. The rental market absorbs $3,074/mo rents without meaningful friction.

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How 01867 ranks in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

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