What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lenox has the most kids (19.7% under 18).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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	Lenox	Middlebury
People
Population	8,658Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.1±2Highest 16% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lenox and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,900±$8kLowest 6% below U.S.	$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S.
	Middlebury and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$935±$83Lowest 34% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,184Lowest 34% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.5%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 7% below U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#412 of 484 in NY	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	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.