Compare towns
Worcester vs Reading vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Reading has the most kids (18.5% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Worcester | Reading | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831 |
699Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Reading and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
46%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.