Compare towns
Sharon vs Mendon vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
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 | Sharon | Mendon | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577 |
1,113Lowest |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Mendon and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
| Mendon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kLowest 10% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
| Middlebury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,201±$120Lowest about the VT average |
| Sharon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 17% above VT |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 12% above VT |
17 min 28% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Middlebury 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 | Sharon School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.