Compare towns
Hyde Park vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs Belvidere
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Hyde Park | Middlebury | Ripton | Belvidere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 513 |
9,175Highest |
508 |
422Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.6±10.1 about the VT average |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
40.7±6.5 6% below VT |
| Ripton and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
22%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
35.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,946±$10k 11% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$81,563±$18kLowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $221,800±$57kLowest 30% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$239,200±$51k 24% 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 | $1,306±$285 6% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— | $1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT |
| Belvidere and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,893Lowest 23% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±47.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Belvidere and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±7.6 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 | #59 of 70 in VT | #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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.