Compare towns
Bakersfield 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
Bakersfield has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Bakersfield | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±8 8% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bakersfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19kLowest 14% below VT |
$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 | $1,200±$327Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— |
| Bakersfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school 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 |
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.