Compare towns
Strafford vs Middlebury vs Vershire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Strafford | Middlebury | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372 |
7,220Highest |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
| Strafford and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Vershire and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$71,618±$12kLowest 12% below VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,117±$80Lowest 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$6,795 35% above VT |
$4,640Lowest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 | Strafford 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.