Compare towns
Brookfield vs Cavendish 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
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
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 | Brookfield | Cavendish | Reading | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,242 |
699 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$285,100±$40kLowest 10% 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 | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,000±$546 19% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
— |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 10% below VT |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.