Compare towns
Strafford vs Reading vs Baltimore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Baltimore has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
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 | Strafford | Reading | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Highest |
699 |
361Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
51.1±7.6Lowest 19% above VT |
51.2±10.3 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
8.9%±6.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.2%±2.7Lowest 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 | $110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$107,500±$16k 32% above VT |
| Strafford and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$219,400±$27kLowest 31% below VT |
| Strafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% 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 | $7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$4,329Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.7%±100Lowest 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 | 5.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Strafford School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.