Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Whitingham vs Windham
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 the highest household income ($113k).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Whitingham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
1,368 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Whitingham 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% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Ripton 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% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| 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 6% below VT |
— | $673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,055 about the VT average |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | — |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 7.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.