Compare towns
Ira vs Jay vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k 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 | Ira | Jay | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
471 |
699Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
51.1±7.6Lowest 19% above VT |
| Ira and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Ira and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
— | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
| Reading and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 20% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.