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Compare towns

Stanton vs Reading

102 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.3× in Stanton) and property tax bill (+46% in Stanton).

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Stanton, MIA regional job hubMichigan · 1,285 people
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Reading, MIHomes around $180KMichigan · 947 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

StantonA regional job hub
Work1,388 jobsbased in Stanton, a regional job hub SafetySafer than 80%of U.S. towns we grade Health75% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Stanton →
ReadingHomes around $180K
Housing$180K typical home33% below the MI typical home All about Reading →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker4.3×
Stanton is more of a job hub
Stanton 2.75Reading 0.64
Property tax bill+46%
Tax bills are bigger in Stanton
Stanton $1,732Reading $1,189
Typical home built34 yrs
Reading’s homes are older
Stanton 1972Reading 1938
Average commute7 min
Reading has the shorter commute
Stanton 28 minReading 21 min
Growth since 2010+6.4 pts
Reading has grown faster since 2010
Reading +1.5%Stanton -4.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Stanton

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Stanton$1,460/mo
Typical home $225K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.51% · or rent about $640/mo · Housing →
Reading$1,110/mo
Typical home $180K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $835/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Stanton and Reading.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Michigan ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
A−StantonSafer than 80% of U.S. towns –ReadingNot graded
Schools
B−StantonBetter than 46% of districts in the state B−ReadingBetter than 47% of districts in the state
Health
C−StantonHealthier than 25% of U.S. towns –ReadingNot graded
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
StantonReading
Snow a year73″44″
January low13°F15°F
July high84°F83°F
Growing season (days)133d161d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)15th28th
Outdoors & history
StantonReading
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land2.4%1.4%
Settled1860—
National Register places1—
Archive photos3—
Community
StantonReading
Library hours a week38 hrs41 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

102 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

StantonMIReadingMI
Stanton ↔ Reading102 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

StantonReading
People
Population 1,285Highest 947Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.9%Lowest MI: +2% +1.5%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 44.2±8.3Highest 10% above MI 43.8±5.6Lowest 9% above MI
Stanton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.7%±4.7Highest MI: 21.2% 19.9%±5.7Lowest MI: 21.2%
Stanton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.4%±2.2Lowest MI: 18.6% 15.6%±3.9Highest MI: 18.6%
Reading and Stanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.8%Lowest MI: 32.4% 12%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1% 3.6%±2Highest MI: 6.1%
Reading and Stanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $48,750±$19kLowest 33% below MI $49,342±$15kHighest 32% below MI
Reading and Stanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $114,900±$30kHighest 50% below MI $107,800±$24kLowest 53% below MI
Stanton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $640±$188Lowest 43% below MI $835±$160Highest 26% below MI
Reading and Stanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,732Highest 40% below MI $1,189Lowest 59% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.8%±15.2Highest MI: 50.4% 31.1%±14Lowest MI: 50.4%
Below poverty line 31.2%Highest MI: 13.2% 24.6%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 61.5%Highest MI: 73.2% 58.3%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest same as MI 1938Lowest 34 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 17% above MI 21 minLowest 12% below MI
Work from home 3%±2.7Highest MI: 13.5% 2.7%±2.4Lowest MI: 13.5%
Stanton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.7%Highest 2.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.3 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.75Highest 0.64Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Greenville (10%)Hillsdale (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ReadingFew work in Stanton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 42.5Lowest 43.7Highest
Schools
School district Montcalm Area ISDReading Community Schools
High school in town None in townReading High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.2
Michigan average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Stanton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Stanton’s Town Square.

Reading neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Reading’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Stanton and Reading

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Stanton

D
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Day Township1,040 people · $170K homes
D
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Douglass Township2,213 people · $157K homes
S
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Sidney Township2,603 people · $188K homes
E
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Evergreen Township3,001 people · $195K homes

Towns like Stanton

C
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Coleman1,206 people · $104K homes
B
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Brown City1,139 people · $128K homes
N
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Newkirk Township909 people · $111K homes
F
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Farwell974 people · $99K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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