Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Cornwall vs Cambridge
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 shortest commute (15 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Cornwall | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,220Highest |
508Lowest |
1,208 |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
37.4±1.8 13% below VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Cornwall 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
50.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31k 32% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$343,000±$38kLowest 8% above VT |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
— | $1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,183±$66 4% below VT |
| Middlebury and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$4,910Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Cambridge and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall 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 | — | — | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.