Middlebury : Vermont

Located in western Vermont near the New York border, Middlebury, Vermont is home to one of America's top liberal arts colleges, Middlebury College. It has to be one of the top settings for a college town of anywhere, and has attracted many baby boomers who are making it their retirement community. The population is about 6,600.

Two of the big attractions of Middlebury are it writers conferences and summer language programs. For example, annual Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is the oldest writer's conference in the U.S. Others would argue that its pretty scenery in the hills of the Champlain Valley and small town setting are tops.

The Middlebury campus is on a hill west of the village of Middlebury. Students at Middlebury refer to it as "Club Midd." There are quads and open spaces along with views of the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks. Old Stone Row is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The postmodern architect Robert Venturi said, "Middlebury looks like what everyone thinks an American campus should be but seldom is."

Retirees can live in town or in some of the active adult and independent living communities being built here, such as Eastview (a non-profit adult community).

According to Zillow, the median home value was $261,493 in early 2020.  The small number of homes for sale in this village make it difficult to come up with an exact price.  Property tax averages a bit more than $3000 on a home in that range.

Vibrant downtown in a small college town; recreational, intellectual and cultural amenities; many non-profit volunteer opportunities; great local hospital; variety of housing types; proximity to Burlington, VT; Middlebury has an excellent local bookstore, the Vermont Book Shop. This fixture in the local scene began in 1949.  The books are presented thoughtfully in handsome, well-lit cases.

People who like college towns, culture, mountains, and Vermont will love it in Middlebury.

Middlebury is located in west-central Vermont near Otter Creek falls. Middlebury is bordered by the foothills of the Green Mountains to the east. Winters are cold (average low about 10 degrees or less), and summers warm (average high about 80).