Compare towns
Harmony vs Middlebury vs Freehold
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harmony has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Freehold has the most affordable homes ($99k median).
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 | Harmony | Middlebury | Freehold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344 |
9,175Highest |
892Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-19.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±7 7% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.4±11.2Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Freehold and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Harmony and Freehold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,600±$11k 27% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$57,279±$20kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $128,300±$15k 61% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$99,100±$34kLowest 70% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,805 10% below U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$1,515Lowest 51% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.8%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.5Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.