Compare towns
Stratton vs Plainfield vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Stratton | Plainfield | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
1,314 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
31.8±3.7 26% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Stratton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$50k 26% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Stratton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,750Lowest 6% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 39% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Plainfield 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.