Compare towns
Newbury vs Reading vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newbury has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | Newbury | Reading | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 393Lowest |
699Highest |
431 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 48.3±14 12% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Reading and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Newbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±9.8 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Newbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$23k 6% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Reading and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$28k 13% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,259±$401Highest about the VT average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Newbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,943Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±25.3 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 29% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.3%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Athens 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 Our Story | 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.