Compare towns
Fletcher vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Fletcher | Middlebury | Ripton | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+17% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3Highest 13% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
38.8±3.3 10% below VT |
| Fletcher and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9k 30% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37kLowest 5% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$378,200±$22k 19% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
— | $1,080±$131Lowest 12% below VT |
| Fletcher and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965 about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 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 | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 37% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fletcher School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.