Compare towns
Hyde Park vs Reading vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Wolcott has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Hyde Park | Reading | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,000Highest |
699Lowest |
1,507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.9Lowest 3% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
| Reading and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Hyde Park and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$9k 4% above VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below VT |
| Reading and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $198,400±$39kLowest 37% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,007±$340Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
| Reading and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,883Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$3,930 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Wolcott 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 | #59 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Lamoille Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.