Compare towns
Barton vs Middlebury vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Brighton has the oldest population (median age 45.2).
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 | Barton | Middlebury | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5 7% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
| Brighton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$47,375±$21k 42% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$775±$33 37% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,360 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Barton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.