What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% 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	Northbridge
People
Population	9,175Lowest	16,458Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.	43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury and Northbridge 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%	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.	$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S.
	Northbridge 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±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.	$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S.
	Northbridge 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 18% below U.S.	$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S.
	Northbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northbridge and Middlebury 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%	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Northbridge 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	#226 of 282 in MA
School district	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	Northbridge
High school in town	Middlebury Union High School	Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	10.8Lowest
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.