Compare towns
Dorset vs Strafford 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%).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Dorset | Strafford | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
1,372Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Strafford and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Dorset and Strafford 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 |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
$409,700±$30kLowest 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Dorset and Middlebury 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 |
$7,149 42% above VT |
$6,868Lowest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 8% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | Strafford School District | 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 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.