Compare towns
Exeter vs Windham vs Middlebury vs Thurman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Windham has the oldest population (median age 56.5).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Thurman has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
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 | Exeter | Windham | Middlebury | Thurman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 913Lowest |
1,432 |
9,175Highest |
977 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
56.5±5.1Highest 45% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
52.7±3.8 35% above U.S. |
| Windham and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±5 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$76,477±$17k 5% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$58,750±$14kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$315,600±$74k 5% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$197,400±$43kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$850±$295Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$2,175±$599Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$3,363 8% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$2,368Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.1%±77.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thurman 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 | — | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school 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 | 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.