Compare towns
Hancock vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% 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 | Hancock | Middlebury | Ripton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
9,175Highest |
508 |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
| Ripton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kLowest 6% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% 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 | $939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
— | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 min 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.