What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most affordable homes ($142k median).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hanover	Middlebury
People
Population	6,882Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.6±5.5Highest 30% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hanover and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,563±$9kLowest 11% below U.S.	$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S.
	Middlebury and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$141,500±$16kLowest 57% below U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$993±$105Lowest 30% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S.
	Middlebury and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,881Lowest 8% below U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±22.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	11.5%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Hanover 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	#196 of 484 in NY	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	FORESTVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SILVER CREEK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	SILVER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.