Compare towns
Danby vs Jay vs Middlebury vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danby has the most kids (14.6% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Danby | Jay | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,133 |
471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8Highest 22% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Danby and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Danby and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,321±$13k 5% below VT |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above 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 | $272,400±$41k 14% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$166Lowest 36% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,543 10% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±34.6 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.3% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary 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 | 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.