Compare towns
Reading vs Topsham vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($223k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Topsham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
999 |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
50.1±5.9Lowest 16% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Reading and Wells 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% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Topsham 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% |
23.2%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Wells 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% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Reading and Wells 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 |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Reading and Wells 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 |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Reading 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 |
$4,006 21% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Reading 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% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 41% above VT |
35 min 49% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Topsham 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 | Waits River Union High District #36 | 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 |
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.