Compare towns
Grafton vs Middlesex vs Windham vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Waltham has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
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 | Grafton | Middlesex | Windham | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666 |
1,943Highest |
594 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4 37% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7kLowest 6% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$97,500±$14k 20% above VT |
| Middlesex and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174 4% above VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— | $1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
| Middlesex and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843Lowest 4% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$5,714 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.