Compare towns
Strafford vs Warren vs Middlebury
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 most kids (23% under 18).
Warren has the most people working from home (36.2%).
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 | Strafford | Warren | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Lowest |
1,585 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
53.1±4.2Highest 23% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Warren and Strafford 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% |
9.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
30.1%±4.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Warren 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$86,905±$16k 7% above VT |
$86,250±$18kLowest 6% above VT |
| Strafford and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
$569,300±$123kHighest 80% above VT |
$417,400±$31kLowest 32% above VT |
| Warren and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,750±$394Highest 42% above VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 42% above VT |
$7,284Highest 45% above VT |
$6,795Lowest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
32.3%±26.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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% |
15.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
36.2%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Strafford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.