What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Murray has the most kids (20.5% 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	Murray
People
Population	9,175Highest	4,754Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.	40.3±2.8Highest 4% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury and Murray 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 U.S.: 35.7%	16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S.	$65,077±$5kLowest 19% below U.S.
	Middlebury and Murray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.	$123,800±$14kLowest 63% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S.	$826±$63Lowest 42% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.	$3,907Lowest 25% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	38.9%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Murray 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%	10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Murray 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	#430 of 484 in NY
School district	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	HOLLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	Middlebury Union High School	HOLLEY JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

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.