Compare towns
Middlebury vs Sutton vs Essex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Essex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.8%).
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 | Sutton | Essex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Lowest |
9,452 |
11,516Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.9 9% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Essex and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlebury and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$110,199±$14k 36% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$447,300±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,569±$138Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Essex and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,602Lowest 112% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.5%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Essex 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #13 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Sutton | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.