Compare towns
Reading vs Brookfield vs Plainfield vs West Fairlee
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%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
West Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($237k 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.
| Measure | Reading | Brookfield | Plainfield | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,314 |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
50.3±7.6 17% above VT |
| 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%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 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 |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$76,500±$16k 6% below 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 |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$237,200±$35kLowest 25% below 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±$331 11% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,113±$171 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and West Fairlee 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 |
$4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,210 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50%±89.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 41% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | 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 | 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.