Compare towns
Fairfield vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Wallingford has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
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 | Fairfield | Middlebury | Ripton | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$261,900±$44kLowest 17% 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 | $1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— | $891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Middlebury and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816 4% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,355Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest 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 | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | 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.