What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jericho has the most affordable homes ($493k median).

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Jericho	Reading
People
Population	5,114Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Jericho and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Reading and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Reading and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Reading and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,923±$16kLowest 45% above U.S.	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$493,100±$38kLowest 48% above U.S.	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,731±$111Lowest 23% above U.S.	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.
	Reading and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,318Lowest 135% above U.S.	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Jericho and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	21.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading and Jericho 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	#6 of 70 in VT	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401	Reading
High school in town	Mt. Mansfield Union High School	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.0Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.