Compare towns
Reading vs Windsor vs Middlebury
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 homeowners (84.9%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Windsor | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
3,554 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Reading and Windsor 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% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% |
39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury 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 |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
| Middlebury and Reading 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 |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
| Middlebury and Reading 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 |
$5,209Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Middlebury 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% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
23 min 3% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #61 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.