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Compare towns

Reading vs Middletown

85 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.8× in Reading) and growth since 2010 (+9.5 pts in Reading).

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Reading, MIHomes around $180KMichigan · 947 people
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Middletown, MIA small town of 799Michigan · 799 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ReadingHomes around $180K
Housing$180K typical home33% below the MI typical home All about Reading →
MiddletownA small town of 799
Quiet strengthsMiddletown doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Middletown →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker5.8×
Reading is more of a job hub
Reading 0.64Middletown 0.11
Growth since 2010+9.5 pts
Reading has grown faster since 2010
Reading +1.5%Middletown -8%
Typical home built22 yrs
Reading’s homes are older
Middletown 1960Reading 1938
Street grid+73%
Middletown has the more walkable street grid
Middletown 75.7Reading 43.7
Property tax bill+23%
Tax bills are bigger in Reading
Reading $1,189Middletown $967
Average commute6 min
Reading has the shorter commute
Middletown 27 minReading 21 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $550 more a month in Reading

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Reading$1,110/mo
Typical home $180K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $835/mo · Housing →
Middletown$560/mo
Typical home $91K (Census) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $869/mo · Housing →

The difference: $550 a month, about $6,600 a year, between Reading and Middletown.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Michigan ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
B−ReadingBetter than 47% of districts in the state –MiddletownNot graded
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ReadingMiddletown
Snow a year44″38″
January low15°F16°F
July high83°F82°F
Growing season (days)161d164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)28th36th
Outdoors & history
ReadingMiddletown
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land1.4%—
Community
ReadingMiddletown
Library hours a week41 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

85 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ReadingMIMiddletownMI
Reading ↔ Middletown85 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ReadingMiddletown
People
Population 947Highest 799Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.5%Highest MI: +2% -8%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 43.8±5.6Highest 9% above MI 43±6.6Lowest 7% above MI
Reading and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.9%±5.7Lowest MI: 21.2% 24.7%±10.1Highest MI: 21.2%
Middletown and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.6%±3.9Highest MI: 18.6% 13.1%±7.1Lowest MI: 18.6%
Reading and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12%Highest MI: 32.4% 6.9%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±2Highest MI: 6.1% 1.6%±2Lowest MI: 6.1%
Reading and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $49,342±$15kHighest 32% below MI $46,250±$20kLowest 37% below MI
Reading and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $107,800±$24kHighest 53% below MI $90,700±$8kLowest 61% below MI
Reading and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $835±$160Lowest 26% below MI $869±$241Highest 23% below MI
Middletown and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,189Highest 59% below MI $967Lowest 67% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 31.1%±14Lowest MI: 50.4% 77.1%±38.3Highest MI: 50.4%
Middletown and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 24.6%Lowest MI: 13.2% 34.8%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 58.3%Lowest MI: 73.2% 59.1%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 34 yrs older than MI 1960Highest 12 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 12% below MI 27 minHighest 11% above MI
Work from home 2.7%±2.4Highest MI: 13.5% 0%±3.8Lowest MI: 13.5%
Reading and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.9%Highest 0.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 25.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.64Highest 0.11Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Hillsdale (14%)Owosso (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MiddletownFew work in Reading
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 43.7Lowest 75.7Highest
Schools
School district Reading Community Schools—
High school in town Reading High School—
Students per teacherat that high school 16.2 —
Michigan average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Reading neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Reading’s Town Square.

Middletown neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Middletown’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Reading and Middletown

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Reading

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Coleman1,206 people · $104K homes
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Stanton1,285 people · $115K homes
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Elkton750 people · $92K homes
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Newkirk Township909 people · $111K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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