Compare towns
Wallingford vs Middlebury vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most homeowners (82.5%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Wallingford | Middlebury | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,286 |
9,175Highest |
1,855Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$974±$72 21% below VT |
| Middlebury and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,355Lowest 14% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Barnet 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 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.