Compare towns
Middlesex vs Newfane vs Wardsboro 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 highest household income ($110k).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Newfane | Wardsboro | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
1,456 |
820Lowest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Newfane and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex 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% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 |
$284,200±$49kLowest 10% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$1,266±$238Lowest about the VT average |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
$1,408±$392 14% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Calais 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 |
$5,174 about the VT average |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Newfane 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% |
10.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
27 minLowest 13% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Middlesex 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | 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 History | 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.