Compare towns
Coventry vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% 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 | Coventry | Middlebury | Ripton | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.2 5% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
| Ripton and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.5 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,342±$3kLowest 27% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,900±$55kLowest 37% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $755±$108Lowest 39% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— | $908±$236 26% below VT |
| Middlebury and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,375Lowest 53% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,472 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 1.5%±27.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Coventry School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | 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 |
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.