Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ogunquit vs Essex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Essex has the most kids (22.4% 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.
| Measure | Middlebury | Ogunquit | Essex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
1,379Lowest |
11,516Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.4±1.9 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$110,199±$14k 36% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Essex 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$447,300±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,569±$138Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,602 112% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Essex 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.5%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #13 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.