Compare towns
Au Sable vs Middlesex vs Colchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Au Sable has the most affordable homes ($133k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Colchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Au Sable | Middlesex | Colchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,156 |
1,943Lowest |
17,648Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±8Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
39.3±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Au Sable and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±7.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Au Sable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,069±$36kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$97,891±$9k 21% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,000±$43kLowest 60% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$25kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Colchester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$328Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,474±$122Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Colchester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,242Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,471 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±23Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.2%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Au Sable and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 3.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Colchester 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 | #248 of 484 in NY | — | #18 of 70 in VT |
| School district | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Colchester School District |
| High school in town | AUSABLE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Colchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.