Compare towns
Reading vs Williston vs Exeter
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 affordable homes ($377k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% 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 | Williston | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
10,144 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Reading and Exeter 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Reading 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter 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. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Exeter 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.