Compare towns
Windsor vs Reading vs Bellows Falls vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,060 |
699Lowest |
2,891Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 15% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
| Reading and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.