Compare towns

Cornwall vs Exeter vs Ripton vs Middlebury

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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.

MeasureCornwallExeterRiptonMiddlebury
People
Population
1,208
913
508Lowest
7,220Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
-14.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+25.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.4±4.6
30% above U.S.
51.7±12.6Highest
33% above U.S.
47.7±14.2
23% above U.S.
23.7±1.3Lowest
39% below U.S.
Exeter and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.7%±3
U.S.: 22%
22.7%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
11.8%±6.3
U.S.: 22%
8.5%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Exeter and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.7%±6.1
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±10.5
U.S.: 17.2%
30.5%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.8%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ripton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
28.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
48%
U.S.: 35.7%
61.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±3.1
U.S.: 6.4%
1%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
20.1%±6.3
U.S.: 6.4%
40.9%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,583±$32kHighest
42% above U.S.
$77,550±$19kLowest
4% below U.S.
$112,917±$15k
40% above U.S.
$86,250±$18k
7% 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
$458,000±$49kHighest
38% above U.S.
$243,000±$89kLowest
27% below U.S.
$394,400±$61k
19% above U.S.
$417,400±$31k
25% 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
$1,125±$206
20% below U.S.
$867±$44Lowest
39% below U.S.
—
$1,201±$120Highest
15% 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
$6,726
116% above U.S.
$2,926Lowest
6% below U.S.
$4,915
58% above U.S.
$6,795Highest
118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.9%±65.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.9%±100
U.S.: 51.1%
56.6%±15.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
0.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
97.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
56.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
11% below U.S.
29 minHighest
9% above U.S.
24 min
9% below U.S.
15 minLowest
45% below U.S.
Work from home
24.4%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.4%±10.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.2%±8.7
U.S.: 15.1%
19.1%±4.4
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 — — — #17 of 70 in VT
School district Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 — Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 —
High school in town None in town — None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet 6 photos →

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.