Compare towns
Ludlow vs Middlebury vs Ripton vs North Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Ludlow | Middlebury | Ripton | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 808 |
9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
1,336 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
43.9±10 about the VT average |
| Ludlow and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±0.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
41.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$68,571±$10k 16% 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 | $304,000±$32kLowest 4% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$313,000±$40k about the VT average |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$91Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
— | $1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
| North Bennington and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 16% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,590 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| North Bennington and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1957 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
18 min 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.3%±6.4 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Ludlow 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 | — | 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.