Compare towns
Worcester vs Sheldon vs Middlebury vs Elmore
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 people working from home (23.6%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Elmore has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Sheldon | Middlebury | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
2,267 |
9,175Highest |
964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45±3.5 4% above VT |
| Worcester and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.4%±9.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.6%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Worcester 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above VT |
| Elmore 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 |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$315,800±$47k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,225±$263 about the VT average |
| Sheldon and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 12% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,066 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.8%±65.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Elmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 25% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None 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.