Compare towns
Middlebury vs Castleton vs Essex Junction
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Middlebury | Castleton | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
4,453Lowest |
10,803Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+14.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
39.3±3.1Highest 9% below VT |
| Essex Junction and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Essex Junction and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
6.7%±2.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$89,257±$16kHighest 10% above VT |
| Essex Junction and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$407,500±$20k 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,797 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.3%±14.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1% VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
19 minHighest 17% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Essex Junction 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.