Compare towns
Reading vs Salisbury vs Middlesex
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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Salisbury | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,200 |
1,943Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
| Reading and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Reading 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 VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Middlesex and Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
| Reading and Middlesex 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 |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
| Salisbury and Middlesex 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 |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Salisbury 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% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None 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.