Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Reading vs 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
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 | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
699Lowest |
2,060 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
| Reading and Windsor 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% |
21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and 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%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Reading 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
| Reading and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest 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% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.