Compare towns
Colrain vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the oldest population (median age 49.6).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Halifax has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
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 | Colrain | Middlebury | Ripton | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1 4% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% 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 | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | 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.