Compare towns
Reading vs Tunbridge vs Bridgewater
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).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Tunbridge | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,253Highest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
42.7±8.3Lowest about the VT average |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
| Bridgewater 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
20.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater 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% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Tunbridge 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 |
$89,464±$26kHighest 10% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
| Tunbridge 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 |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
| Reading and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
| Tunbridge and Reading 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 |
$4,645 8% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Reading 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% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | — |
| 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.