Compare towns
Essex Junction 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
Essex Junction has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Essex Junction | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
9,175 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1 9% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Essex Junction and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,257±$16k 10% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$20k 29% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61kLowest 25% above VT |
| Middlebury and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797 35% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Essex Junction and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 18% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 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 | #14 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.