Compare towns
Strafford vs Windham vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Windham | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Lowest |
16,038Highest |
7,220 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Middlebury 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,795Lowest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Strafford School District | Windham School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.