City Profile

Middlebury, Vermont

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Middlebury, Vermont is a quintessential New England college town nestled in Addison County along Otter Creek. Home to the prestigious Middlebury College, the town beautifully blends historic 19th-century architecture with a vibrant, progressive cultural scene. Residents and newcomers are drawn to its scenic rolling landscapes, active outdoor lifestyle, and strong sense of community engagement.

About Vermont

Vermont, known as the "Green Mountain State," is characterized by its rural landscape, small towns, and strong emphasis on community and outdoor recreation. The economy is diverse, with major industries including tourism, manufacturing (especially electrical equipment, food, and beverage), agriculture (notably dairy and maple syrup), and a growing tech sector. Living in Vermont generally entails a higher cost of living than the national average, particularly due to housing and utility expenses, though it can be more affordable than some neighboring New England states. The climate features warm summers, vibrant autumns, and cold, snowy winters, supporting a lifestyle that often embraces outdoor activities and a relaxed pace.

9,112

Population

$68K

Avg Salary

108

Cost Index

65.9

Quality Score

How this 66/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 88 / 100	88.0	30%	26.4
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 108.0	33.8	25%	8.4
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $82,450 Income needed to live here: $58,000 Unemployment rate: 2.4%	86.3	20%	17.3
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.5% Job growth rate: 1.8%	46.8	15%	7.0
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 68 / 100	68.0	10%	6.8
Overall score				65.9

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 3 (deep think) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Middlebury is moderately higher than the national average, largely driven by housing demand and energy costs typical of rural New England. While everyday goods and groceries are comparable to national trends, specialized services, housing, and heating expenses during long winters can stretch household budgets. Property taxes in Vermont also tend to be on the higher side, supporting robust local public services and education.

Average Rent

$1,650/mo

Groceries

$420/mo

Transport

$110/mo

Utilities

$210/mo

Healthcare

$230/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$55.00

Cinema ticket

$13.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$25.00

Monthly groceries

$420.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$160.00

Income

Salary Insights

Middlebury's economy is anchored by higher education, healthcare, and tourism, with Middlebury College serving as the single largest employer in the region. Other significant economic drivers include regional healthcare services via Porter Medical Center, advanced manufacturing, and agricultural enterprises. The remote work trend has also brought an influx of professionals seeking a scenic rural base with reliable broadband connectivity.

The average salary in Middlebury is $68,000 per year. You would need approximately $58,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Manufacturing +1.50% Healthcare & Social Assistance +2.40% Professional & Technical Services +2.80% Tourism & Hospitality +2.00% Higher Education +1.20%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

47°F

Avg Temp

☀️

79°F

Summer High

❄️

13°F

Winter Low

🌧️

40.40"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

222

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

While the historic downtown area is remarkably walkable and bike-friendly, a personal vehicle is generally required for exploring the surrounding Addison County region and rural Vermont. Public transportation is limited primarily to regional bus services connecting to Burlington and Rutland, though Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express provides direct rail service to New York City. Traffic congestion is virtually nonexistent outside of occasional seasonal tourist and college-move traffic.

18 min

Avg Commute

42.00/10

Transit Score

65.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Violent and property crime rates remain significantly lower than the national average per Vermont state data.

Direct Amtrak rail service via the Ethan Allen Express connects Middlebury straight to New York City.

Access to top-tier cultural events, lectures, and athletic facilities through Middlebury College.

Exceptional local school district and proximity to premier outdoor recreation including hiking, skiing, and cycling.

Strong local economy anchored by stable institutional employers like Middlebury College and Porter Medical Center.

Drawbacks

Housing inventory is severely constrained, leading to high purchase prices and competitive rental markets.

Long, harsh New England winters drive up seasonal home heating and utility costs.

Property taxes in Vermont are among the highest in the nation, impacting homeowners.

Limited public transit options require heavy reliance on personal vehicles for regional travel.

Higher-than-average cost of living for groceries and goods compared to the broader national baseline.

Head to Head

Compare Middlebury

Middlebury VS Cincinnati Middlebury VS Grants Pass Middlebury VS Binghamton Middlebury VS Tigard

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Nearby Cities

St. Albans

Lyndon

Community Q&A

Questions about Middlebury

What people ask about living in and moving to Middlebury, Vermont.

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Gathering the most common questions about Middlebury…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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