Compare towns
Middlesex vs Bow vs Ferrisburgh vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Ferrisburgh has the most renters (14.7% rent).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Middlesex | Bow | Ferrisburgh | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,661 |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.5±4.9 17% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$106,989±$22k 33% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$422,700±$35k 27% above U.S. |
$273,600±$31kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,435±$173 about the U.S. average |
$1,169±$171Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Bow and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,120 96% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±19.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ferrisburgh and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.6%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #7 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Bow School District | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.