Compare towns
Middlesex vs Peru vs Reading vs Ripton
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%).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Peru | Reading | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
434Lowest |
699 |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Reading and Ripton 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% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Reading 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% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading 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% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
46%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 19% above VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton 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 |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
— |
| Middlesex and Peru 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school 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.