Compare towns
Fairlee vs Middlesex vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
Middlesex has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
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 | Fairlee | Middlesex | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
1,943Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— |
| Middlesex and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.