Compare towns
Middlebury vs Worcester vs Ripton
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).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Worcester | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,175Highest |
831 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
12.8%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Worcester and Ripton 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% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| 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 29% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% 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 |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
— |
| Middlebury and Worcester 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 |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | 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.