Compare towns
Royalton vs Reading vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Royalton | Reading | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752Highest |
699Lowest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Barnard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnard and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Barnard 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.