Compare towns
Cavendish vs Middlebury vs Reading
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).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Cavendish | Middlebury | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
7,220Highest |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
| Cavendish and Middlebury 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 |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% 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 | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,100±$331 11% 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 | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Middlebury 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% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.