Compare towns
Middlebury vs Reading vs West Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
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 | Middlebury | Reading | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,220Highest |
699Lowest |
1,171 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
| West Windsor and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±10Highest VT: 17.9% |
| West Windsor and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
59.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
| West Windsor and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$377,200±$72kLowest 19% above VT |
$393,500±$41k 24% above VT |
| Middlebury and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,100±$217Lowest 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 | $6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$5,754Lowest 14% above VT |
$5,860 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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 | 15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2Lowest 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 | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.