Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ripton vs Wolfeboro
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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k 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 | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
508Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro 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 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolfeboro 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%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
45%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% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Wolfeboro 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. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,531Lowest 45% 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% |
12%±11.6Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.