Compare towns
Windham vs Fairlee 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).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Fairlee | Middlebury | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,066 |
9,175Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Fairlee 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% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 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 |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 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 |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairlee 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 |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Middlebury 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% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | 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.