Compare towns
Middlesex vs Dummerston vs Waitsfield vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Dummerston | Waitsfield | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
2,090Highest |
1,918 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
44.3±5.3 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais 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±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$84,375±$34kLowest 4% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,200±$821Lowest about the VT average |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 29% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,208 23% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.