Compare towns
Cavendish vs Middlesex vs Ripton vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
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 | Cavendish | Middlesex | Ripton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,943Highest |
508Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
— | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
3.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.