Compare towns
Bristol vs Warner 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 oldest population (median age 47.9).
Warner has the most kids (17.3% 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 | Warner | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778 |
2,959Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.7±4 12% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Bristol and Warner 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% |
17.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Warner 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bristol and Middlebury 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$94,022±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Warner 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 |
$353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123 14% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Bristol and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Lowest 92% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Warner 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% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Kearsarge Regional 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 Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.