Compare towns
Brookline vs Middlebury vs Middlesex vs Hyde Park
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Brookline | Middlebury | Middlesex | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
9,175Highest |
1,943 |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
42.6±10.1 about the VT average |
| Brookline and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
41%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$89,946±$10k 11% above VT |
| Middlesex and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$221,800±$57kLowest 30% below VT |
| Middlebury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,306±$285 6% above VT |
| Brookline and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$3,893Lowest 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±47.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Brookline 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 | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.