Compare towns
Barre vs Middlebury vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most kids (15.8% under 18).
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 | Barre | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Barre and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above 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 | $1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Middlebury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest 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 | 8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.