Compare towns
Reading vs Windsor vs Strafford
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%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Windsor | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
2,060Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
44.6±12.3Lowest 3% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Reading 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% |
21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Windsor 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% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% VT: 43.8% |
40%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford 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±$19k 5% above VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
| Strafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 14% above VT |
$4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Strafford 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Strafford School District |
| High school 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.