Compare towns
Barnet vs Middlebury vs Peacham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Peacham has the most people working from home (24.2%).
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 | Barnet | Middlebury | Peacham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
9,175Highest |
887Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
50.1±5.7Highest 16% above VT |
| Peacham and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.6%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Peacham and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.4%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$90,000±$28kHighest 11% above VT |
| Peacham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$302,000±$64k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,028±$248 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,605 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Peacham and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.2%±16.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Peacham 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Peacham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.