Compare towns
Windham vs Worcester vs Middlebury vs Westminster
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).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Worcester | Middlebury | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
831 |
9,175Highest |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Worcester 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% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Windham 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% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Middlebury 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% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
| 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 |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% 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 |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,480 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest 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% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1976 same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | 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 Our Story | 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.