Compare towns
Cavendish vs Sharon vs West Haven 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
West Haven has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Sharon | West Haven | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,577Highest |
234Lowest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
54±10.5Highest 25% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
| West Haven 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% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 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% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 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 |
$84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
$85,250±$29k 5% above VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
| Cavendish and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$245,000±$34kLowest 23% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Sharon 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 |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
— | $1,100±$331 11% below 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 |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,485 11% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest 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% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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 | Sharon School District | — | 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 | 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.