Compare towns
Middlebury vs Castleton vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Middlebury | Castleton | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,220Highest |
4,453 |
3,767Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
38.3±4.3Highest 11% below VT |
37.4±1.8 13% below VT |
| Castleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Castleton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
| Middlebury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,183±$66 4% below VT |
| Middlebury and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,910 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.