Compare towns
Hancock vs Middlebury vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most kids (17.2% under 18).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Worcester has the oldest population (median age 47).
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 | Hancock | Middlebury | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
9,175Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 Our Story | 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.