What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).

Middlebury has the most people working from home (18.8%).

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	Hartford	Middlebury
People
Population	10,736Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT
Kids under 18	18%±3Highest VT: 17.9%	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Hartford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT	$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT
	Middlebury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT	$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average	$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT
	Hartford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,773Lowest 15% above VT	$6,868Highest 36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Highest VT: 73.2%	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT	1976Lowest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minHighest 22% below VT	16 minLowest 33% below VT
Work from home	13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Middlebury and Hartford 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	#34 of 70 in VT	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Hartford School District	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Hartford High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.