What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($417k median).

Sandgate has the oldest population (median age 55.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middlebury	Sandgate
People
Population	7,220Highest	435Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT	55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT
Kids under 18	8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	13.1%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Sandgate and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Sandgate 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%	37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7%	2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT	$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT
	Middlebury and Sandgate 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	$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,201±$120 about the VT average	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,795Highest 35% above VT	$2,778Lowest 45% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Sandgate 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%	9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	94.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT	1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 minLowest 38% below VT	27 minHighest 16% above VT
Work from home	19.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Sandgate 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	#17 of 70 in VT	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	6 photos →	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.