Compare towns
Dorset vs Salisbury 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 people working from home (29.3%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
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 | Salisbury | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
1,200Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Salisbury 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Dorset and Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 15% above VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Salisbury and Dorset 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 |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Middlebury 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 8% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None 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.