Compare towns
Windsor vs Reading vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 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 | Windsor | Reading | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
699Lowest |
2,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Reading and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
| Reading and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school 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.