Compare towns
Dover vs Middlebury vs Stratton vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Dover | Middlebury | Stratton | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
9,175Highest |
532Lowest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
31.8±3.7 26% below VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
| Stratton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$400,000±$50k 26% above VT |
$299,300±$47kLowest 5% below VT |
| Middlebury and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,208±$979 about the VT average |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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 | 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.