What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athens has the oldest population (median age 47.3).

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	Athens	Middlebury
People
Population	431Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT
Kids under 18	13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9%	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Athens and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4%	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Athens and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7%	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT	$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT
	Middlebury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT	$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT	$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT
	Middlebury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,438Lowest 8% above VT	$6,868Highest 36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 53% above VT	16 minLowest 33% below VT
Work from home	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%	18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Athens and Middlebury 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	—	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	—	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.