Compare towns
Barton 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 kids (24.1% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730 |
7,220Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5 7% below VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Barton 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% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Barton 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% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 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 | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% 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 | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Middlebury 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% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
56.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4Highest 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.