Compare towns
Middlebury vs Middlesex vs Sheldon vs Middlebury
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Sheldon | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,943Lowest |
2,267 |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7 26% below VT |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Middlesex and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Middlesex 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
| 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±$30k 29% above VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
| Middlebury 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 6% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Sheldon 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,795 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury 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% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 min 33% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| 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 | 6 photos → |
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.