Compare towns
Bennington vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Hoosick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Hoosick has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Bennington | Middlebury | Ripton | Hoosick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
9,175 |
508Lowest |
6,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.9±5.5 15% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Hoosick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hoosick and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$63,372±$21k 22% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$177,200±$21kLowest 47% below 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 | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $881±$148Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,071Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±13.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±5.9 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #62 of 484 in NY |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | HOOSICK FALLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | HOOSICK FALLS HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.6 |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.