Compare towns
Reading vs Surry vs Peacham
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 expensive homes ($377k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Peacham has the most renters (23.9% rent).
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 | Surry | Peacham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,052Highest |
887 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
50.1±5.7 29% above U.S. |
| Reading and Peacham 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% |
20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Surry and Peacham 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% |
23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peacham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$90,000±$28k 11% above U.S. |
| Surry and Peacham 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. |
$331,400±$23k about the U.S. average |
$302,000±$64kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Reading and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,028±$248Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,605Lowest 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peacham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±16.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Peacham and Reading 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 | — | Peacham School District |
| High school 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.