Compare towns
Middlebury vs Reading vs Hancock
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 shortest commute (16 min average).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
699 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$76,250±$34kLowest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$939±$19Lowest 24% 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 | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest 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 | 10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±5Lowest 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 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.