Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Reading vs West Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Reading | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
699Lowest |
1,171 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
| West Windsor and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±10 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
59.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
| West Windsor and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$393,500±$41kHighest 24% above VT |
| West Windsor and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,100±$217Highest 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$5,860Highest 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.