What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).

Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k 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	Barton
People
Population	699Lowest	730Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT	40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT
	Reading and Barton 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%	24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Barton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	21.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Reading and Barton 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%	21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7%	1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Reading and Barton 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 VT	$40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT	$146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT	$761±$150Lowest 38% below VT
	Reading and Barton 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	$3,185Lowest 37% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4%	58.8%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Reading and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%	25.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT	1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 41% above VT	31 minLowest 32% above VT
Work from home	22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9%	16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Reading and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#38 of 70 in VT
School district	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.