Compare towns
Ripton vs Bennington vs Reading vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Bennington | Reading | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
15,249Highest |
699 |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Reading 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 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest 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+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,754 14% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
17 min 27% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.