Compare towns
Castleton vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Castleton | Middlebury | Ripton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Springfield 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Springfield 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below 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 |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below 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 |
— | $963±$100Lowest 22% 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Lowest 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| 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.