Compare towns
Wells River vs Middlebury vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Middlebury has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% 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 | Wells River | Middlebury | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
9,175Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
| Wells River and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
| Whiting and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154Lowest 18% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Whiting 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 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school 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.