Compare towns
Arkwright vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arkwright has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Hanover has the most affordable homes ($142k median).
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 | Arkwright | Middlebury | Ripton | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 859 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
6,882 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.6±5.5 30% above U.S. |
| Arkwright and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hanover and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
23%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,000±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$71,563±$9kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,900±$30k 49% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$141,500±$16kLowest 57% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$689Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $993±$105 30% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,760 21% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$2,881Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±65.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±22.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | — | #196 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | FORESTVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SILVER CREEK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | SILVER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.