Compare towns
Reading vs Fairlee vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Fairlee | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,066 |
1,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Fairlee and Reading 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee 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±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Reading and Sharon 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 |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Reading and Sharon 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 |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 14% above VT |
$5,617Lowest 11% above VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Fairlee 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Sharon 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 |
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.