Compare towns
Middlesex vs Montgomery vs Ripton vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Middlesex | Montgomery | Ripton | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
1,047 |
508Lowest |
2,880Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.6±2.4 17% above VT |
| Montgomery and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
52.8% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$273,600±$31kLowest 14% below VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
— | $1,169±$171 5% below VT |
| Middlesex and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,418 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | — | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.