What stands out worked out from the figures below

Holbrook has the most kids (21.2% under 18).

Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).

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	Holbrook	Middlebury
People
Population	11,380Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3.2Highest 10% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,210±$14kHighest 43% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Holbrook and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$465,400±$21kHighest 40% above U.S.	$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S.
	Middlebury and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,105Lowest 96% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 44% above U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	12.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Holbrook 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	#234 of 282 in MA	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Holbrook	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Holbrook Middle High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	12.6Lowest
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.