Compare towns
Reading vs Dummerston vs Middlebury vs West Windsor
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dummerston | Middlebury | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699Lowest |
2,090 |
9,175Highest |
1,171 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
| West Windsor 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±10 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and West Windsor 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and West Windsor 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% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
59.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
| West Windsor and Dummerston 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 |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$393,500±$41k 24% above VT |
| Middlebury and West Windsor 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 |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,100±$217Lowest 11% below VT |
| Dummerston and Middlebury 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 |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,860 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Middlebury 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% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.