Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Fair Haven vs Cornwall
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%).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Fair Haven | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
2,724 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton 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% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% 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 |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% 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±$113Highest 6% below VT |
— | $830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Cornwall 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.