Compare towns
Middlebury vs Pendleton vs Essex Junction
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 youngest population (median age 31.8).
Pendleton has the most homeowners (91.1%).
Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Pendleton | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
7,034Lowest |
10,803Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
46.7±4.1Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.3±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Pendleton and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pendleton and Middlebury 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% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$113,750±$27kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$89,257±$16k 11% above U.S. |
| Pendleton and Essex Junction 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. |
$294,300±$39kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$407,500±$20k 22% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$994±$119Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,544±$135Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$6,623Lowest 112% above U.S. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction 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% |
9.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Pendleton 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 | #67 of 484 in NY | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
14.5Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.