Compare towns
Barnard vs Ripton vs Middlebury vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Barnard | Ripton | Middlebury | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211 |
508Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 27% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$390,300±$36kLowest 23% above VT |
| Middlebury and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 11% above VT |
— | $1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038 20% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,586 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 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 | 2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Barnard 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.