What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).

Shelburne has the most kids (20.2% 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	Shelburne
People
Population	9,175Highest	7,969Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT	50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT
Kids under 18	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%	20.2%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	70.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%	4.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT	$115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT
	Shelburne 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 29% above VT	$588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT	$1,442±$589Highest 17% above VT
	Shelburne and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,868Lowest 36% above VT	$8,173Highest 62% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4%	43.7%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Shelburne 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%	8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	69.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest same as VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 33% below VT	20 minHighest 14% below VT
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%	31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#17 of 70 in VT	#8 of 70 in VT
School district	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
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

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.