What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k 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	Hancock
People
Population	699Highest	435Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT	33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT
	Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9%	17.2%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Reading and Hancock 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%	19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Highest VT: 43.8%	34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7%
	Hancock 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	$76,250±$34kLowest 6% below VT
	Reading and Hancock 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	$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT	$939±$19Lowest 24% below VT
	Reading and Hancock 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	$3,511Lowest 30% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4%	3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	8.4%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT	1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 41% above VT	28 minLowest 17% above VT
Work from home	22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9%	11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Reading and Hancock 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	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.