Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Ludlow vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).
Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Pittsfield | Ludlow | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
808Highest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT |
48.7±5.6Lowest 13% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
| Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±8.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,852±$12k 19% below VT |
$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,300±$73k about the VT average |
$304,000±$32kLowest 4% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$140 16% below VT |
$1,018±$91Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,181 about the VT average |
$4,237Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43 VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2% VT: 73.2% |
51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 18% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Pittsfield and Reading 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.