Compare towns
Brookline vs Middlebury vs Windham vs Newfane
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 most kids (20% under 18).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Windham | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
9,175Highest |
594 |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$284,200±$49kLowest 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— | $1,266±$238 about the VT average |
| Brookline and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Newfane and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| 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.