Compare towns
Bristol vs Barnard vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($337k median).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Bristol | Barnard | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778 |
1,211Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Bristol and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% 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 | $337,300±$46kLowest 7% above VT |
$402,600±$71k 27% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% 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 | $1,275±$181 3% above VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Barnard and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Lowest 19% above VT |
$6,038 20% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.