What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).

Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).

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	Waltham
People
Population	7,220Highest	452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT	60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT
Kids under 18	8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Waltham 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%	45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.9%Highest VT: 43.8%	39%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,250±$18kLowest 6% above VT	$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT
	Waltham and Middlebury 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	$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average	$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT
	Middlebury and Waltham 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	$5,714Lowest 13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4%	29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Waltham 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%	5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	86.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 minLowest 38% below VT	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	19.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waltham 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.