Compare towns
Guildhall vs Middlebury vs Middlesex vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Westfield has the most kids (27.1% under 18).
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 | Guildhall | Middlebury | Middlesex | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 371Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,943 |
536 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.6±7.8 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
44±19.9 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
27.1%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westfield and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±5.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±11.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westfield and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
27.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,000±$46kHighest 42% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$72,500±$30kLowest 11% below VT |
| Guildhall and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,200±$62k about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$301,400±$47kLowest 5% below VT |
| Middlebury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$717Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$863±$187 30% below VT |
| Middlesex and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,625 8% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$4,388Lowest 13% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±71.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Guildhall and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
91.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
30 minHighest 29% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school 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.