What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleton has the highest household income ($102k).

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.

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

Measure	Middleton	Reading
People
Population	1,595Highest	699Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.5±5.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S.
	Reading and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22%	18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Middleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Middleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,696±$8kHighest 26% above U.S.	$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Middleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$312,300±$27kLowest 6% below U.S.	$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S.
	Reading and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S.	$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Middleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,504Lowest 76% above U.S.	$5,754Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	63.3%±31.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 47% above U.S.	33 minLowest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Middleton 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

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.