Compare towns
Putney vs Sharon vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Sharon has the most kids (21% 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.
| Measure | Putney | Sharon | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
1,577Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Sharon and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Sharon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 24% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Sharon School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.