Compare towns
Reading vs Orange vs Hartwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($119k median).
Hartwick has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Reading | Orange | Hartwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,637 |
1,196Lowest |
2,143Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-7.5% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.3±6.4Lowest 16% above NY |
46.6±6.3 17% above NY |
49.3±5.4Highest 24% above NY |
| Hartwick and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
18%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
13%±3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2 NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% NY: 40.2% |
16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
41.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.5%±2.4 NY: 7% |
| Reading and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,131±$9kHighest about the NY average |
$60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY |
$81,196±$6k 6% below NY |
| Reading and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $160,200±$37k 62% below NY |
$119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY |
$173,500±$36kHighest 59% below NY |
| Hartwick and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY |
$932±$81Lowest 43% below NY |
$1,000±$174 38% below NY |
| Reading and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,219Highest 51% below NY |
$2,667Lowest 59% below NY |
$2,912 56% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Orange and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.7%Highest NY: 14% |
7.5% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% NY: 54.3% |
84.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% below NY |
30 minHighest 8% below NY |
18 minLowest 44% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.6 NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
22.2%±13.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Hartwick and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.