Compare towns
Middlebury vs Plainfield vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% 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 | Plainfield | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,314Lowest |
2,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
| Plainfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield 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 VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
| Middlebury and Sheldon 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Plainfield 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 | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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 |
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.