Compare towns
Montgomery vs Middlebury vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the most kids (15.5% under 18).
Middlebury has the highest household income ($86k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Montgomery | Middlebury | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,466 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
| Dover and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Montgomery and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24k 34% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Middlebury and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
| Middlebury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209 30% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| Middlebury and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 58% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.