Compare towns
Leicester vs Reading vs Whiting vs Whitingham
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%).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k 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 | Leicester | Reading | Whiting | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
699 |
532Lowest |
1,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
| Reading and Leicester 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% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Whitingham 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%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Reading 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% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30kLowest 13% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
| Whiting and Reading 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 |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$262,300±$30kLowest 17% 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±$331 11% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
| Whiting and Reading 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 |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$5,055 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Whitingham 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% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Leicester 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| 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.