Compare towns
Windham vs Berlin vs Middlebury vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Brookline has the most kids (20% 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 | Windham | Berlin | Middlebury | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
2,880 |
9,175Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
| Windham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$273,600±$31kLowest 14% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,169±$171 5% below VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — | #16 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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.