Compare towns
Windham vs Middlebury vs Dummerston vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% 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 | Middlebury | Dummerston | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
9,175Highest |
2,090 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston 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% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Windham 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 |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$313,600±$39kLowest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
| Dummerston and Middlebury 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Dummerston 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% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school 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.