Compare towns
Plymouth vs Reading vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Shrewsbury has the most kids (25.1% 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 | Plymouth | Reading | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 533Lowest |
699 |
1,237Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.2±9.6Highest 21% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
42.3±5.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Plymouth and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
25.1%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.6%±10.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Plymouth and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
41%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Plymouth and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,614±$8k 8% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$91,250±$23kHighest 12% above VT |
| Shrewsbury and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,900±$21k 7% above VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$331,900±$52kLowest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,299±$171 5% above VT |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,438±$380Highest 17% above VT |
| Shrewsbury and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,585 11% above VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$5,350Lowest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±53Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
71.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Shrewsbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
95.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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.