Compare towns
Strafford vs Reading vs Salisbury
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%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Highest |
699Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
50.6±6.5Lowest 17% 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 | 23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest 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%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Reading 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% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Strafford and Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% 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±$789 9% below VT |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Strafford 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 |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.