Compare towns

Middlebury vs Reading vs St. George

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 31.8).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
St. George has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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.

MeasureMiddleburyReadingSt. George
People
Population
9,175Highest
699Lowest
812
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.7%
VT: +2.8%
+3.2%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+17.8%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
31.8±3.7Lowest
26% below VT
51.1±7.6Highest
19% above VT
44.7±13.4
4% above VT
Reading and St. George 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%±4.2
VT: 17.9%
25.6%±7Highest
VT: 17.9%
St. George and Reading 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%
15.9%±2.7Lowest
VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
55.4%Highest
VT: 43.8%
46%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
53.6%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
32.6%±1.1Highest
VT: 7%
3.1%±2.5Lowest
VT: 7%
5.9%±3.9
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$86,169±$16k
6% above VT
$85,000±$19kLowest
5% above VT
$109,464±$34kHighest
35% above VT
St. George and Middlebury 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
$376,800±$50kLowest
19% above 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±$113
6% below VT
$1,100±$331Lowest
11% below VT
$1,394±$132Highest
13% above VT
St. George and Middlebury 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
$5,514Lowest
9% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.9%±14.4Lowest
VT: 48.4%
63.3%±31.7
VT: 48.4%
96%±100Highest
VT: 48.4%
St. George and Reading 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%
5.5%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
65.1%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
84.9%
VT: 73.2%
91.1%Highest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
same as VT
1969Lowest
7 yrs older than VT
1977Highest
1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
16 minLowest
33% below VT
33 minHighest
41% above VT
19 min
19% below VT
Work from home
18.8%±4.1Lowest
VT: 16.9%
22.9%±10.6
VT: 16.9%
27.6%±8.5Highest
VT: 16.9%
St. George and Reading 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.