Compare towns
Jay vs Middlebury vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Jay | Middlebury | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Jay and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Walden and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Walden 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.