Compare towns
Reading vs Rochester vs Windham
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 expensive homes ($377k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699 |
1,389Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Rochester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham 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±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Reading and Windham 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 |
— |
| Reading and Rochester 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 |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%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 |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.