Compare towns
Proctor vs Middlesex vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Proctor | Middlesex | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794Lowest |
1,943 |
5,920Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Middlesex and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
| Middlesex and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 10.0Highest |
| 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.