Compare towns
Middlebury vs New Haven vs Cornwall vs Ripton
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 31.8).
New Haven has the most affordable homes ($379k median).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Middlebury | New Haven | Cornwall | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,792 |
1,208 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
48±3.9 11% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Cornwall and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest 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+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$92,321±$17k 14% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above 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 | $409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$379,300±$19kLowest 20% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% 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 | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,163±$143Highest 6% below VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
— |
| New Haven and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,967 18% above VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.1% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.2% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | 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 | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.