Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Essex
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 (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Essex has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Essex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
508Lowest |
11,516Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+12.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42.4±1.9 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Essex 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% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
57.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$110,199±$14k 36% above VT |
| Ripton and Essex 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 |
$394,400±$61kLowest 25% above VT |
$447,300±$14kHighest 41% above VT |
| Essex 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 6% below VT |
— | $1,569±$138Highest 27% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,602 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
45.9%±13.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1990Highest 14 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.5%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Essex 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 | — | #13 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| 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 Our Story | 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.