Compare towns
Reading vs Rochester vs Townshend
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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Townshend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Rochester | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,389 |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Lowest 19% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend and Rochester 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%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Townshend 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% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester 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% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
| Reading and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Reading and Townshend 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 |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Reading and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
| Reading and Townshend 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 |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Reading 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Townshend 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.