Compare towns
Middlebury vs New Haven vs Waltham
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 youngest population (median age 31.8).
New Haven has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | New Haven | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,792 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
48±3.9 11% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| New Haven and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$92,321±$17k 14% above VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and New 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 |
$379,300±$19k 20% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
| Middlebury and New Haven 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 |
$1,163±$143Highest 6% below VT |
$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
| New Haven 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 |
$5,967 18% above VT |
$5,714Lowest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.2% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.