What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most expensive homes ($316k median).

Reading has the most kids (17.2% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Reading
People
Population	1,432Lowest	1,637Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	56.5±5.1Highest 42% above NY	46.3±6.4Lowest 16% above NY
	Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	17.2%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%
	Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.4%±5.2Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.8%Highest NY: 40.2%	37.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±5Highest NY: 7%	4.2%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%
	Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,477±$17kLowest 11% below NY	$86,131±$9kHighest about the NY average
	Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$315,600±$74kHighest 26% below NY	$160,200±$37kLowest 62% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$295Lowest 48% below NY	$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY
	Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,363Highest 49% below NY	$3,219Lowest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.9%±35.7Highest NY: 52.1%	33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Highest NY: 14%	5.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest NY: 54.3%	81.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY	1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 18% below NY	28 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	17.1%±6.9Highest NY: 14.9%	11.7%±4.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.