Compare towns
Orwell vs Ripton vs Middlebury vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orwell has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
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 | Orwell | Ripton | Middlebury | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,294 |
508Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.5±7 10% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$51 10% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Middlebury and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 15% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.