Compare towns
Cavendish vs Jay vs Middlebury vs Whitingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the highest household income ($89k).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Whitingham has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
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 | Cavendish | Jay | Middlebury | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
| Jay and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
| Cavendish and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546 19% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
| Middlebury and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948 22% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,055 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
38 min 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.