Compare towns
Waterville vs Middlebury vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (85%).
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 | Waterville | Middlebury | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
9,175Highest |
790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
46.6±5.7 8% 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 | 20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±2.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sutton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$71,250±$18kLowest 12% below VT |
| Middlebury and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$231,100±$41kLowest 27% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% 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 | $3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 60% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| 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.