What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middlebury	Strafford
People
Population	9,175Highest	1,372Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT	51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT
Kids under 18	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%	23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	22.1%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4%
	Strafford 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%	53.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%	5.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT	$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT
	Strafford 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	$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±$113Highest 6% below VT	$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT
	Middlebury and Strafford 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	$7,149Highest 42% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4%	44.6%±48Lowest 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%	5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	88.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest same as VT	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 33% below VT	23 minHighest about the VT average
Work from home	18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%	16.1%±4.3Lowest 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	Strafford School District
High school in town	Middlebury Union High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.