Compare towns
Reading vs Chesterfield vs Putney
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Chesterfield has the highest household income ($102k).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Chesterfield | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
3,622Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Reading and Chesterfield 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% |
21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield 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% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Chesterfield 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 13% above U.S. |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Reading and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Chesterfield 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 | — | #52 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Chesterfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.