Compare towns
Middlesex vs Ripton vs Meredith vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
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 | Ripton | Meredith | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
508Lowest |
6,758 |
8,014Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Meredith 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 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Meredith 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 6% below U.S. |
— | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,302±$113 8% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 | — | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.