Compare towns
Waitsfield vs Middlebury vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waitsfield has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Barnard has the highest household income ($98k).
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 | Waitsfield | Middlebury | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,918 |
9,175Highest |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.3Highest about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$34kLowest 4% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| Barnard and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$402,600±$71kLowest 27% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$821 about the VT average |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnard and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,208 23% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,038Lowest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±30.6 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Waitsfield 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 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| 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 |
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.