Compare towns
Halifax vs Middlebury vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Pembroke has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Halifax | Middlebury | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
9,175 |
18,382Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
45.5±3.3Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlebury and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$146,285±$17kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 45% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$586,500±$28kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375 28% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,464±$753Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840 119% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$6,585Lowest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pembroke 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #17 of 70 in VT | #82 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Pembroke |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | Pembroke High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.