Compare towns
Bristol vs Plainfield vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% 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 | Plainfield | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778 |
1,314Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Plainfield and Bristol 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% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bristol and Plainfield 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Bristol and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978 19% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Bristol 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 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | 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.