Compare towns
Bath vs Reading vs Lempster vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bath | Reading | Lempster | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,097Highest |
699Lowest |
953 |
786 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Lowest 25% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2 31% above U.S. |
51±10.4 31% above U.S. |
| Reading and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±7.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.3%±8.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Monroe and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lempster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$86,607±$12k 7% above U.S. |
$88,150±$7kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Monroe and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$241,900±$29k 27% below U.S. |
$312,700±$58k 6% below U.S. |
| Reading and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,104±$218 22% below U.S. |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413 41% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,558 46% above U.S. |
$2,661Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lempster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Bath School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Lempster School District | Monroe School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.