Compare towns
Reading vs Sidney vs Middletown Springs
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 people working from home (22.9%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Middletown Springs has the most affordable homes ($262k 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 | Sidney | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
4,790Highest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Reading and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middletown Springs and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs 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% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middletown Springs 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 U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$82,000±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Sidney 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. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$262,200±$24kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Reading and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438 15% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$4,595 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | RSU 18 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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 |
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.