Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Reading vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Bridgewater | Reading | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Highest |
699 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Bridgewater and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
— |
| Reading and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Windham 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 | — |
| 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.