What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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	Exeter
People
Population	9,175Lowest	16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Exeter and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
	Exeter 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±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.
	Exeter and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,868Lowest 120% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter 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 U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter 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	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Middlebury Union High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	59 photos →

U.S. 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.