Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Middlebury vs Stockbridge
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 kids (12.8% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980 |
7,220Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
55.3±5.3 28% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
$77,109±$12k 5% below VT |
| Middlebury and Stockbridge 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 |
$283,500±$26k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,140±$126 8% below VT |
| Middlebury and Stockbridge 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 |
$4,488 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22Lowest 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% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge 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 | — | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| 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.