Compare towns
Cavendish vs Reading vs Rupert vs Sharon
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Rupert has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Reading | Rupert | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
699 |
676Lowest |
1,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
57.8±9.7Highest 34% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Rupert and Reading 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% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
42.3%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$88,229±$36k 9% above VT |
$84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
| Cavendish and Rupert 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$362,500±$63k 14% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Reading and Rupert 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 |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
— | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon 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 |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$4,594 9% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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% |
8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±9.2 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Sharon School District |
| High school 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.