Compare towns
Middlesex vs Peru vs Ripton vs Winhall
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).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Winhall has the most expensive homes ($472k 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 | Peru | Ripton | Winhall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7% VT: +2.8% |
+53.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.9±6.1Highest 13% above VT |
| Winhall 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% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17%±6.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Winhall 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±5.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
67.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$95,500±$23kLowest 18% 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±$105k 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$471,800±$55kHighest 49% above VT |
| Winhall and Peru 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 |
— | $1,094±$732Lowest 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 | $6,483 29% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,567Highest 30% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.5%±38.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Winhall 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% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.4%±9 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Winhall 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school 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.