Compare towns
Reading vs Cornwall 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%).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
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 | Cornwall | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,208 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Reading and Cornwall 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% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall 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% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Cornwall 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Cornwall 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 |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Cornwall 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±$72k 19% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Cornwall and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 14% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Lowest 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% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.