Compare towns
Waterville vs Reading vs Whitingham vs Belvidere
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Belvidere has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
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 | Waterville | Reading | Whitingham | Belvidere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 680 |
699 |
1,368Highest |
422Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT |
| Reading and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
22%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Belvidere and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
35.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$81,563±$18k about the VT average |
| Reading and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$239,200±$51k 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT |
| Belvidere and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,957 21% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$5,055 about the VT average |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Belvidere and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 60% above VT |
33 minLowest 41% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
38 min 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.