Compare towns
Middlebury vs Putney vs Ripton vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Middlebury | Putney | Ripton | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,220 |
2,622 |
508Lowest |
8,014Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42.3±2.4 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Montpelier and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% 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 | $1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
— | $1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT |
| Montpelier and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795 35% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
18 min 23% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.