Compare towns
Reading vs Castleton vs Hampton 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%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
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 | Castleton | Hampton | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,145 |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±14.7 11% 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%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.9%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$73,796±$8kLowest 9% 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. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,264±$375Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,113±$171 21% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Castleton 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. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$5,210 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton 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% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Hampton 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | 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 |
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.