Compare towns
Halifax vs Middlebury vs Sutton vs Colrain
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 people working from home (29.9%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Colrain has the oldest population (median age 49.6).
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 | Sutton | Colrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 847 |
9,175Highest |
790Lowest |
1,627 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1 4% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
46.6±5.7 20% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$71,250±$18k 12% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Middlebury and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$231,100±$41kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991 60% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,975Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax 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 | Halifax School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | 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 |
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.