What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westminster	Middlebury
People
Population	2,999Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT	31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT
Kids under 18	18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%	11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Westminster and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4%	20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Westminster and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%	32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT	$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT
	Middlebury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT	$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT	$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,063Lowest 19% below VT	$6,868Highest 36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	10.7%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1976Lowest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	16 minLowest 33% below VT
Work from home	27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%	18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Westminster 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	#53 of 70 in VT	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Bellows Falls Union High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.