Compare towns
Jay vs Middlebury vs Peru vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
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 | Jay | Middlebury | Peru | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
9,175Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above 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 | 14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Middlebury and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Peru and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest 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 | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | 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 | None 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.