Compare towns
Chenango vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Dickinson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chenango has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Dickinson has the most affordable homes ($147k 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 | Chenango | Middlebury | Ripton | Dickinson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,787Highest |
9,175 |
508Lowest |
5,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±2.8 5% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
42.7±3.3 10% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Chenango and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,646±$9k 7% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$77,864±$14kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,000±$9k 48% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$147,400±$17kLowest 56% 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 | $1,038±$97 27% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $941±$68Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,700 19% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,523Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
35.8%±13.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±5.9 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 | #233 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— | — |
| 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.