Compare towns
Sutton vs Ryegate vs Middlebury vs Waterville
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 most homeowners (85%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Waterville has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Ryegate | Middlebury | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790 |
1,059 |
9,175Highest |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7 8% above VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Sutton 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% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Waterville 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% |
22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate and Sutton 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% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
| Middlebury and Sutton 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 |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Middlebury and Waterville 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 |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.