What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most kids (21.1% under 18).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northbridge	Middlebury
People
Population	16,458Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Northbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S.	$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.
	Northbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
	Northbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Northbridge 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	#226 of 282 in MA	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Northbridge	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Northbridge High	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.