Compare towns
Sutton vs Guildhall vs Middlebury vs Barton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 46.6).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Middlebury has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Barton has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
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 | Sutton | Guildhall | Middlebury | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790 |
371Lowest |
9,175Highest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7Highest 8% above VT |
42.6±7.8 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.9±6.5 4% above VT |
| Sutton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Guildhall and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
26.1%±5.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.5%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Guildhall and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
33.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.9%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT |
| Guildhall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$321,200±$62k about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$201,200±$28kLowest 36% below VT |
| Middlebury and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $850±$717 31% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$793±$70Lowest 36% below VT |
| Middlebury and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 21% below VT |
$4,625 8% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,355Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
39.6%±12.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Guildhall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% VT: 73.2% |
93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
35 minHighest 50% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Barton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | Lake Region Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.