Compare towns
Corning vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Erwin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Corning has the most affordable homes ($168k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Erwin has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Corning | Middlebury | Ripton | Erwin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,829 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
7,965 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.6 7% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.8±2 13% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Corning and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,482±$10k 10% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$88,333±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $167,600±$14kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$223,700±$26k 33% 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 | $1,289±$219Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,271±$136 10% below U.S. |
| Corning and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,895Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,829 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Erwin and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
16 min 41% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 43% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.3 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 | #393 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #431 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 4.0Lowest |
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.