Compare towns
Reading vs Rockingham vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Rockingham has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Rockingham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
4,807 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Springfield 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% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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 VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Rockingham 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 |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
| Reading and Rockingham 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 |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
| Reading and Rockingham 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 |
$4,887 3% below VT |
$4,807Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Rockingham 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 | — | #65 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Rockingham School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| 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.