Compare towns
Concord vs Middlebury vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Concord | Middlebury | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,145Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.8±6.6 16% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Concord and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Concord and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,304±$9kLowest 10% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Middlebury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,300±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$29Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,026Lowest 40% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±82.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 13% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Wells 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.