Compare towns
Northfield vs Middlesex vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Northfield | Middlesex | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920 |
1,943Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Albans and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$90,060±$19k 11% above VT |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$363,300±$22k 15% above VT |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,689Lowest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #42 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.