Compare towns
Dorset vs Mendon vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most kids (24% under 18).
Mendon has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Dorset | Mendon | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
1,113Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Mendon and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Dorset and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$357,000±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Dorset and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 8% below VT |
17 min 28% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Mendon 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.