Compare towns
Reading vs Chester vs Bennington
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%).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Chester | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
2,992 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Reading and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Reading and Chester 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 |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Reading 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 |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Reading 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Bennington 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.