Compare towns
Wells River vs Reading vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Wells River | Reading | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
699Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Reading and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
| Whiting and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Reading and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| 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.