Compare towns
Ripton vs Arkwright vs Middlebury vs St. George
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Arkwright has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
St. George has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Arkwright | Middlebury | St. George |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
859 |
9,175Highest |
812 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
44.7±13.4 15% above U.S. |
| Arkwright and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. George and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$93,000±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$109,464±$34k 36% above U.S. |
| Ripton and St. George are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$170,900±$30kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$376,800±$50k 13% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $875±$689Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,394±$132Highest about the U.S. average |
| St. George and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,760Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$5,514 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±65.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
96%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. George and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. George 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
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| 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.