Compare towns
Mendon vs Middlebury vs Reading vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Reading has the most kids (18.5% under 18).
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 | Mendon | Middlebury | Reading | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113 |
9,175Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Mendon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
— |
| Mendon and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 6% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 28% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Mendon 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | 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.