Compare towns
Huron vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($88k 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 | Huron | Middlebury | Ripton | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,240 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
3,971 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±3.8 about the U.S. average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
42.1±5.1 8% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolcott and Huron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Huron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,000±$10k 11% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$54,569±$10kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Huron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $233,000±$21k 30% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$87,500±$16kLowest 74% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,233±$778Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
— | $667±$106Lowest 53% below U.S. |
| Huron and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 33% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$2,486Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±50.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.7%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Huron and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 24.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #367 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | NORTH ROSE-WOLCOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · RED CREEK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | RED CREEK HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.