Compare towns
Leicester vs Reading vs Brandon vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the most homeowners (85.5%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 46.6).
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 | Leicester | Reading | Brandon | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
699Lowest |
4,120Highest |
790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
46.6±5.7Lowest 8% above VT |
| Reading and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| Reading and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30k 13% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
| Reading and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107k about the VT average |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
| Reading and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300 11% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
— |
| Reading and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 min 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Leicester 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 | — | — | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.