Compare towns
Reading vs Dover 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 kids (18.5% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Mendon 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 | Dover | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,466Highest |
1,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Lowest 19% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
| Dover and Mendon 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Mendon 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% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$332,900±$55kLowest 5% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
| Reading and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon 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 |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.