Compare towns
Ferrisburgh vs Ripton vs Middlebury vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ferrisburgh has the most kids (17.2% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Ferrisburgh | Ripton | Middlebury | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,661 |
508 |
9,175Highest |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.5±4.9 6% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Ferrisburgh and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.1% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,989±$22k 32% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$97,500±$14k 20% above VT |
| Ripton and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,700±$35kHighest 34% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
| Ferrisburgh and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,435±$173Highest 16% above VT |
— | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
| Ferrisburgh and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,120 21% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,714 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±19.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ferrisburgh and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham 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 | #7 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| 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.