Compare towns
Barton vs Reading vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Reading has the most homeowners (84.9%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Barton | Reading | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730 |
699Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5 7% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Reading and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Middlebury 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.