Compare towns
Reading vs Barnet vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Barnet | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,855Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
| Reading and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brookfield 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±$19k 5% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
| Reading and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Reading and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 41% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Reading 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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 |
VT 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.