Compare towns
Middlesex vs Walden vs Marshfield
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 expensive homes ($376k median).
Walden has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
Marshfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Walden | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-0.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
38.7±6.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Walden and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Middlesex and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Walden 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 |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$60,313±$10kLowest 26% below VT |
| Middlesex and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$214,100±$37kLowest 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,317±$126 7% above VT |
| Middlesex and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$3,668Lowest 27% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
65.7%±73.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Walden 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% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.5%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Marshfield 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.