Compare towns

Windham vs Poultney vs Middlebury

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 oldest population (median age 44.2).
Poultney has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
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.

MeasureWindhamPoultneyMiddlebury
People
Population
594Lowest
1,033
9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-33.1%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+7.7%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
44.2±7.4Highest
about the VT average
28.2±4.5Lowest
35% below VT
31.8±3.7
26% below VT
Kids under 18
17.5%±7.9Highest
VT: 17.9%
16.8%±5
VT: 17.9%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Windham and Poultney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23.2%±8.1Highest
VT: 21.4%
21.1%±6.6
VT: 21.4%
20.7%±2.6Lowest
VT: 21.4%
Windham and Poultney 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%
38.4%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
55.4%Highest
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.8%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
22.1%±3.3
VT: 7%
32.6%±1.1Highest
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,500±$12kHighest
16% above VT
$70,536±$11kLowest
13% below VT
$86,169±$16k
6% above 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
$196,600±$43kLowest
38% below VT
$409,700±$30kHighest
29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$868±$113Lowest
30% below VT
$1,156±$113Highest
6% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,951
18% above VT
$3,450Lowest
32% below VT
$6,868Highest
36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
41.2%±94
VT: 48.4%
23.2%±12.4Lowest
VT: 48.4%
50.9%±14.4Highest
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%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
11.4%Highest
VT: 10.1%
10.7%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
56.7%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
65.1%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Highest
6 yrs newer than VT
1938Lowest
38 yrs older than VT
1976
same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
14% above VT
31 minHighest
33% above VT
16 minLowest
33% below VT
Work from home
20.5%±5.6Highest
VT: 16.9%
11.3%±3.5Lowest
VT: 16.9%
18.8%±4.1
VT: 16.9%
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 — #41 of 70 in VT #17 of 70 in VT
School district — — Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school 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

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.