Compare towns
Reading vs Middleton vs Cavendish vs West Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
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 | Middleton | Cavendish | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699Lowest |
9,816Highest |
1,242 |
1,171 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+22.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
54±5.9Highest 39% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±10Highest U.S.: 22% |
| West Windsor 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±6.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Windsor and Cavendish 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 U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$108,750±$18k 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$393,500±$41k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,100±$217 22% below U.S. |
| Middleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,860 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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 | — | #71 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Middleton | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.