Compare towns
Middlebury vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% 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 | Plainfield | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
2,522 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Plainfield 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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 23% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Middlebury 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. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 120% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 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 17% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Plainfield School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.