What stands out worked out from the figures below

Royalton has the oldest population (median age 43.9).

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	Royalton	Middlebury
People
Population	2,752Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT
	Royalton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Royalton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4%	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Royalton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8%±4.2Lowest VT: 7%	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT	$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT
	Royalton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT	$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT	$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT
	Middlebury and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,675Lowest 7% below VT	$6,868Highest 36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13%Highest VT: 10.1%	10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%	65.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 13% below VT	16 minLowest 33% below VT
Work from home	17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Middlebury and Royalton 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	#48 of 70 in VT	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	White River Unified School District #79	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	White River Valley High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.7Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.