Compare towns
Reading vs Cornwall vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most renters (15.1% rent).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,208Highest |
1,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
50.4±4.6Lowest 17% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
| Mendon and Reading 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest 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%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cornwall and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44kLowest 13% above 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon 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 |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Reading 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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.