Compare towns
Middlebury vs Springfield vs Worcester
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%).
Springfield has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Worcester has the most homeowners (85.9%).
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 | Springfield | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
9,084 |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Springfield 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% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Worcester 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% |
23.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Springfield 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Worcester 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 |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Worcester 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 |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Springfield 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Middlebury 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | Springfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| 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.