Compare towns
Reading vs Brattleboro vs Cavendish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Cavendish has the highest household income ($89k).
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 | Reading | Brattleboro | Cavendish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
12,122Highest |
1,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
| Cavendish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
| Reading and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → |
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.