Compare towns
Dover vs Reading vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Reading has the highest household income ($85k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Dover | Reading | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
699Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Reading and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Reading and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.