Compare towns
Reading vs North Bennington vs Andover
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).
North Bennington has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | North Bennington | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699 |
1,336Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
43.9±10Lowest about the VT average |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
| Reading and Andover 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% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Andover 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% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
43.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$68,571±$10kLowest 16% below VT |
$102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT |
| Andover 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±$72k 19% above VT |
$313,000±$40kLowest about the VT average |
$382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT |
| Andover 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 |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
$1,389±$364 13% above VT |
| North Bennington and Andover 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 |
$5,590 11% above VT |
$5,190Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover 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% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.


