Compare towns
Sandgate vs Middlebury vs Wheelock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Wheelock has the most kids (18.8% 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 | Sandgate | Middlebury | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
9,175Highest |
717 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51±5.6 18% above VT |
| Sandgate and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
| Middlebury and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$2,937 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Wheelock 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school 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.