Compare towns
Royalton vs Middlebury vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Royalton | Middlebury | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752 |
9,175Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$84,375±$17kLowest 4% 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 |
$346,700±$37k 10% 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 | $1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Middlebury 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 |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest 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 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.