Compare towns
Arlington vs Middlebury vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Arlington | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59kLowest about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— |
| Arlington and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Arlington School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.