Compare towns
Middlebury vs Middlesex vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
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 | Middlesex | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,943Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
| Middlesex and Putney 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Putney 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Middlesex 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% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
| Middlesex 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 |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
| Middlebury and Middlesex 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 |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Middlesex and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Middlebury 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.