Compare towns
Bow vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Dunbarton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Bow | Middlebury | Ripton | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.6Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.