Compare towns
Woodstock vs Bridgewater vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woodstock has the most expensive homes ($582k median).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Woodstock | Bridgewater | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,027Highest |
980 |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 56±3.6 30% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
51.1±7.6Lowest 19% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Woodstock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Woodstock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.7%±5.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Woodstock and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,938±$29kHighest 49% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
| Woodstock and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $582,000±$84kHighest 84% above VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,430±$346Highest 16% above VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Woodstock and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,449Highest 88% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 32.8%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Woodstock and Reading 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 | #10 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | Woodstock Union Middle/High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.