What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has the most kids (20.5% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sutton	Middlebury
People
Population	2,239Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7% U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sutton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Sutton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S.	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
	Sutton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,652Highest 145% above U.S.	$6,868Lowest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Sutton 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	Kearsarge Regional School District	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Kearsarge Regional High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.