Compare towns
Reading vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Reading | Windham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
23,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 282 in MA | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Reading | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.