Compare towns
Painted Post vs Reading vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Painted Post has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Painted Post | Reading | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,824Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.2Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,891±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $155,900±$13kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $839±$281Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Highest 22% below U.S. |
— |
| Reading and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,442 74% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.4%±18.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Painted Post and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.