What stands out worked out from the figures below

Douglas has the most kids (21.2% under 18).

Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Douglas	Middlebury
People
Population	9,207Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S.	$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S.	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
	Douglas and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Douglas 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	#177 of 282 in MA	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Douglas	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Douglas High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.2Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.