What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the most kids (19.2% under 18).

Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amherst	Middlebury
People
Population	130,546Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.1±0.8Highest about the U.S. average	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±1Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.5%±0.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amherst and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,483±$2kHighest 16% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Amherst and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,600±$7kLowest 6% below U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,393±$45Highest about the U.S. average	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,935Lowest 90% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amherst and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 24% below U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	15.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Amherst 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	#72 of 484 in NY	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.