Compare towns
Essex 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 has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Essex | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
9,175 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,199±$14k 36% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,300±$14kHighest 41% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61kLowest 25% above VT |
| Essex and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,569±$138Highest 27% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,602 31% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1Lowest 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 | 5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 14 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Essex 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 | #13 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 | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.