Compare towns
Reading vs Pelham 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 renters (15.1% rent).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Pelham | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
14,449Highest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% 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% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest 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% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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 U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$76,500±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$237,200±$35kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,113±$171 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,210Lowest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 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. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Pelham School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.