Compare towns
New Haven vs Waltham vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Haven has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | New Haven | Waltham | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,792 |
452Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48±3.9 11% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| New Haven and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,321±$17k 14% above VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Waltham and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $379,300±$19k 20% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$143Highest 6% below VT |
$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| New Haven and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,967 18% above VT |
$5,714Lowest 13% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham 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 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| 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.