Compare towns
Whiting vs Stratton vs Middlebury vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Athens has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
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 | Whiting | Stratton | Middlebury | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
532 |
9,175Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
31.8±3.7 26% below VT |
47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
| Athens and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.2% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Stratton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$400,000±$50k 26% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Middlebury and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
| Stratton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 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 | 11.5% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4% VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
33 min 39% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.