Compare towns
Calais vs Middlebury vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k 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 | Calais | Middlebury | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
9,175Highest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 31% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.