Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Castleton vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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.
| Measure | Essex Junction | Castleton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
4,453Lowest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Highest 9% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Essex Junction and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Essex Junction and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,257±$16kHighest 10% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Essex Junction and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$20k 29% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797 35% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 18% below VT |
19 minHighest 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Essex Junction 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 | #14 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.