Compare towns
Halifax vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Whitingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Whitingham 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 | Halifax | Middlebury | Ripton | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 847 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
1,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1 6% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$262,300±$30kLowest 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 | $875±$154 29% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991 about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,055 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 38% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax 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 | — | — |
| School district | Halifax School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 7.8Lowest |
| 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.