Compare towns
Hancock vs Stratton vs Middlebury
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 affordable homes ($188k median).
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Middlebury has the most people working from home (19.1%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Stratton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
532 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +10.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Highest 22% below VT |
31.5±4.1 27% below VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Hancock and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kLowest 6% below VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
| Stratton and Middlebury 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 |
$400,000±$50k 26% above VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
| Middlebury and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
| Stratton and Middlebury 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 |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5% VT: 73.2% |
73.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Hancock 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 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.