Compare towns
Groton vs Middlebury vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Groton has the most homeowners (94.4%).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Groton | Middlebury | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 967Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.8Highest 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
| Groton and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±5.7 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,250±$14k 5% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
| Middlebury and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$70k 23% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $288±$151Lowest 77% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$908±$236 26% below VT |
| Middlebury and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,659 27% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.5%±72.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 29% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Groton 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 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school 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 |
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.