Compare towns
Worcester vs Brookfield vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Worcester | Brookfield | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,486 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% 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 | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.