What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most kids (19.2% under 18).

Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).

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	Windham	Middlebury
People
Population	19,188Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Windham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
	Middlebury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
	Windham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham 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	#95 of 133 in ME	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 14	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Windham High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.