Compare towns
Bath vs Middlebury vs Lempster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Bath | Middlebury | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
9,175Highest |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$86,607±$12kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Lempster and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$241,900±$29k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Bath and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,558 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lempster and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bath School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lempster 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 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.