Compare towns
Busti vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Busti has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
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 | Busti | Middlebury | Ripton | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,452 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
2,344 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±4.8 20% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.8±7 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harmony and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,292±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$58,600±$11kLowest 27% 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 | $164,600±$12k 51% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$128,300±$15kLowest 61% 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 | $1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,876 24% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$2,805Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Busti and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 8.5Lowest |
| 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.