Compare towns
Cavendish vs Dummerston vs Reading vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Cavendish | Dummerston | Reading | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
2,090 |
699Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Reading and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Reading 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 | — | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.