Compare towns
Bradford vs Middlebury vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
Middlebury has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
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 | Bradford | Middlebury | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,827 |
9,175Highest |
1,938Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±3.1Highest about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Bradford and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bradford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Bradford and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,600±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
| Bradford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,472Lowest 11% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 7.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Oxbow Union High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.