What stands out worked out from the figures below

Andover has the most expensive homes ($856k median).

Middlebury has the most affordable 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	Andover	Middlebury
People
Population	36,652Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S.	$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S.	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$6,868Lowest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#68 of 282 in MA	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	12.6Lowest
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.