Compare towns
Middlesex vs Windham vs Barnard 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%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
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 | Windham | Barnard | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
594Lowest |
1,211 |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Barnard 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% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8 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 |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
$97,581±$19k 20% above 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 |
$353,900±$20kLowest 12% above VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 8% above VT |
— | $1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Barnard 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 |
$5,951Lowest 18% above VT |
$6,038 20% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school 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.