Compare towns
Hancock vs Reading vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($161k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Hancock | Reading | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,769Highest |
699 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±5.7Highest 40% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Lowest 31% above U.S. |
51.9±7 33% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,243±$11kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$68,333±$24k 15% below U.S. |
| Reading and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,100±$8kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$292,200±$33k 12% below U.S. |
| Reading and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,052±$172 26% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Highest 22% below U.S. |
$778±$104Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,584Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,182 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±47Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #471 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | HANCOCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | HANCOCK JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.