Compare towns
Highgate vs Middlebury vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most affordable homes ($281k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Highgate | Middlebury | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528 |
9,175Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.2±7.4Highest about the VT average |
| Windham and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kLowest about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kLowest 11% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— |
| Middlebury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.