Compare towns
Middlebury vs Ryegate vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 46.6).
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 | Ryegate | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
1,059 |
790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
46.6±5.7Highest 8% above VT |
| Sutton and Ryegate 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% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Sutton 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% |
22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate and Sutton 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% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
| Middlebury and Sutton 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 |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
— |
| Middlebury and Ryegate 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 |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Sutton 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 | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.