Compare towns
Ryegate vs Middlebury vs Proctor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Ryegate | Middlebury | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,059Lowest |
7,220Highest |
1,794 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
| Proctor and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 27 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | — | — | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.