Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Strafford
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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Strafford 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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,220Highest |
508Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Strafford 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% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18kLowest 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| Ripton and Strafford 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±$61kLowest 25% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford 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±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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 |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 38% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.