Compare towns
Barton vs Cornwall 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
Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Barton | Cornwall | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
1,208 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5 7% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— |
| Middlebury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 | 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.