Compare towns
Pawlet vs Middlesex vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawlet has the most affordable homes ($266k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Pawlet | Middlesex | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480Lowest |
1,943Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5Highest 11% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Pawlet and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Pawlet and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 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 | $62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% 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 | $266,200±$44kLowest 16% below VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$215Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,924Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest 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 | Mettawee School District #84 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 |
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.