Compare towns
Whitingham vs Reading vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Whitingham | Reading | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,368 |
699Lowest |
1,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Reading and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Reading and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,055Lowest about the VT average |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 62% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8 |
— | — |
| 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.