Compare towns

Champlain vs Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Ripton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Champlain has the most affordable homes ($173k median).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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.

MeasureChamplainCornwallMiddleburyRipton
People
Population
5,667
1,208
9,175Highest
508Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+25.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.4±2.3
14% above U.S.
50.4±4.6Highest
30% above U.S.
31.8±3.7Lowest
18% below U.S.
47.7±14.2
23% above U.S.
Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.2%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±3
U.S.: 22%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
11.8%±6.3
U.S.: 22%
Champlain and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.3%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
25.7%±6.1
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
30.5%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ripton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
27.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
48%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
32.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
20.1%±6.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$59,866±$6kLowest
26% below U.S.
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$86,169±$16k
7% above U.S.
$112,917±$15k
40% above U.S.
Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$173,400±$16kLowest
48% below U.S.
$458,000±$49kHighest
38% above U.S.
$409,700±$30k
23% above U.S.
$394,400±$61k
19% above U.S.
Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$890±$102Lowest
37% below U.S.
$1,125±$206
20% below U.S.
$1,156±$113Highest
18% below U.S.
—
Middlebury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,681Lowest
18% above U.S.
$6,726
116% above U.S.
$6,868Highest
120% above U.S.
$4,915
58% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.4%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
61.9%±65.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.9%±14.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.9%±100
U.S.: 51.1%
Cornwall and Champlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
14.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
0.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
67.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
65.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
24 min
11% below U.S.
16 minLowest
41% below U.S.
24 min
9% below U.S.
Work from home
9.7%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.8%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
17.2%±8.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Cornwall 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 #54 of 484 in NY — #17 of 70 in VT —
School district NORTHEASTERN CLINTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town None in town None in town Middlebury Union High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.6
—
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.