Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Union
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 youngest population (median age 31.8).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Union has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
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 | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175 |
508Lowest |
55,078Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.4±1.2 6% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Union 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% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
33%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$61,713±$2kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Middlebury 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. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$149,900±$5kLowest 55% below 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±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $936±$37Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,200Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±5.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
18 min 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±1.5Lowest 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 | — | #199 of 484 in NY |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.