Compare towns
Reading vs Mendon vs Dummerston
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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,113 |
2,090Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston 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% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest 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% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston 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±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% 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±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Dummerston and Mendon 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| 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.