Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Middlebury vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Bridgewater | Middlebury | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
7,220Highest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| Barnard and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$402,600±$71k 27% above VT |
| Middlebury and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnard and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$6,038 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard 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 | — | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.