Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlebury vs Proctor vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Proctor has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Castleton | Middlebury | Proctor | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
9,175Highest |
1,794 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below 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 | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below 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 | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
— |
| Middlebury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.