Compare towns
Hardwick vs Jay vs Middlebury vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Hardwick | Jay | Middlebury | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965 |
471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Jay and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% 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 | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— |
| Middlebury and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest 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 | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.