Compare towns
Reading vs Wright vs Cavendish vs Middletown Springs
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Wright has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Middletown Springs has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.6%).
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 | Wright | Cavendish | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,739Highest |
1,242 |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Wright 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middletown Springs and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Middletown Springs 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 U.S. |
$86,250±$13k 7% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$82,000±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Cavendish and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$242,000±$36kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$285,100±$40k 14% below U.S. |
$262,200±$24k 21% below U.S. |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$953±$79Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,000±$546 29% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$5,279 69% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,595 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.6%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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 | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.