What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).

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.

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

Measure	Middlebury	Essex Junction
People
Population	9,175Lowest	10,803Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+14.2%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT	39.3±3.1Highest 9% below VT
Kids under 18	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4%	14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	52.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%	6.7%±2.2Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above 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	$407,500±$20kLowest 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±$113Lowest 6% below VT	$1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,868Highest 36% above VT	$6,797Lowest 35% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4%	61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Essex Junction and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest VT: 10.1%	9.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest same as VT	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 33% below VT	19 minHighest 18% below VT
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%	16.9%±4Lowest 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	#14 of 70 in VT
School district	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Middlebury Union High School	Essex High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.