Compare towns
Cornwall vs Middlebury vs Poultney vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Poultney has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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.
| Measure | Cornwall | Middlebury | Poultney | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
7,220Highest |
1,033 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9% VT: +2.8% |
-33.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
28.2±4.5 35% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.8%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Poultney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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+ | 54.7% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
22.1%±3.3 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$70,536±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| 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 45% above VT |
$417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$196,600±$43kLowest 38% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| 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 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$868±$113Lowest 30% below VT |
— |
| 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 33% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$3,450Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
23.2%±12.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8% VT: 73.2% |
56.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #41 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 | None yet |
VT 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.