Compare towns
Middlebury vs Salisbury vs Strafford
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).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Salisbury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,200Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Salisbury 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury 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 |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Salisbury and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 36% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | 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.