Compare towns
Middlebury vs Parma vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Parma has the most kids (25.6% 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 | Middlebury | Parma | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
16,111Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
40.4±3.3 4% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$93,558±$8k 16% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$220,000±$15kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,216±$111Highest 14% below U.S. |
— |
| Parma and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$5,549 78% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #88 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.