Compare towns
Bristol vs Salisbury vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($337k median).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% 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 | Salisbury | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778 |
1,609Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 23% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 about the U.S. average |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181 10% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978 92% above U.S. |
$5,859Lowest 88% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | 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 History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.