Compare towns
Middlesex vs Stowe vs Waterbury
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 homeowners (96.7%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Waterbury has the most renters (29.4% rent).
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 | Stowe | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
5,285 |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Stowe 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Middlesex 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% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% above VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 19% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Stowe and Middlesex 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 |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$6,435Lowest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9 VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterbury and Stowe 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 | — | — | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Stowe Town School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.