Compare towns
Windham vs Dover vs Middlebury vs Worcester
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 most kids (17.5% under 18).
Dover has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Dover | Middlebury | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,466 |
9,175Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Dover and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Worcester 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% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Windham 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% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Dover 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 | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 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.