What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).

Waterloo has the most affordable homes ($114k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Waterloo
People
Population	1,637Lowest	4,605Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%	-7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.3±6.4Lowest 16% above NY	50.8±4.5Highest 28% above NY
	Waterloo and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%	16.9%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Reading and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%	29.4%±5Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.9%Highest NY: 40.2%	23.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%	4.9%±2.5Highest NY: 7%
	Waterloo and Reading 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	$51,642±$9kLowest 40% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$160,200±$37kHighest 62% below NY	$114,300±$7kLowest 73% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY	$927±$49Lowest 43% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,219Lowest 51% below NY	$3,772Highest 43% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1%	43.6%±13.9Highest NY: 52.1%
	Waterloo and Reading 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%	11.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	68.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 13% below NY	21 minLowest 35% below NY
Work from home	11.7%±4.6Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.2%±7.7Highest NY: 14.9%
	Waterloo 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

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.