Compare towns
Ira vs Plainfield 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 most affordable homes ($273k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,314Highest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
| Ira and Reading 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest 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±$5k 12% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Reading 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Plainfield 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 |
| 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.