What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

Fair Haven has the most kids (19.4% under 18).

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	Fair Haven
People
Population	9,175Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT	39.2±7.6Highest 9% below VT
	Fair Haven and Middlebury 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%	19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4%	18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Middlebury and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%	4.1%±2.9Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT
	Middlebury and Fair Haven 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	$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT	$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,868Highest 36% above VT	$3,865Lowest 23% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4%	50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	18.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	80.6%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest same as VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 33% below VT	31 minHighest 31% above VT
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%	4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#17 of 70 in VT	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Middlebury Union High School	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.