Compare towns
Middlesex vs Waterbury vs Royalton 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).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
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 | Waterbury | Royalton | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
5,405Highest |
2,752 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Royalton 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% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Royalton and Calais 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% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Calais 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 |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$103,938±$24k 28% above VT |
$100,625±$27kLowest 24% above VT |
| Middlesex and Royalton 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 |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Waterbury 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 |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais 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 |
$6,435 28% above VT |
$4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Waterbury 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% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | White River Unified School District #79 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.