Compare towns
Reading vs Appleton vs West Fairlee
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 (22.9%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
West Fairlee has the most homeowners (91.9%).
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 | Appleton | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,360Highest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
50.3±7.6 29% above U.S. |
| Reading and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Fairlee and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$76,500±$16k 5% below U.S. |
| Reading and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,113±$171Highest 21% below U.S. |
| West Fairlee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,210 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Appleton 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 | Appleton Public Schools | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.