Compare towns
Highgate vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Enosburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Enosburgh has the most kids (21% 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 | Highgate | Middlebury | Ripton | Enosburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,528 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
2,804 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
40.6±3.9 6% below VT |
| Ripton and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
21%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Enosburgh and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
20.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
5.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$63,828±$17kLowest 21% 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 | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$223,100±$39kLowest 30% 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 | $895±$691 27% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— | $852±$87Lowest 31% below VT |
| Middlebury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,624 28% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.9%±11.2 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 | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
13.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
32 minHighest 36% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.1%±4.4Lowest 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #26 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Enosburg Falls Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— | 10.4 |
| 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.