Compare towns
Bradford vs Reading vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Bradford | Reading | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,827Highest |
699Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±3.1 about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.2% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Bradford and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,600±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
| Reading and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
| Bradford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,472Lowest 11% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 7.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Oxbow Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| 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.