Compare towns
Tunbridge vs Middlebury vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Tunbridge | Middlebury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,253Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±1.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Strafford and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,300±$23kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Tunbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,645Lowest 8% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 31% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| 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 Our Story | 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.