Compare towns
Ripton vs Champlain vs Middlebury
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%).
Champlain has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Champlain | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
5,667 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.4±2.3 14% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Champlain 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% |
23.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Champlain 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% |
27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$59,866±$6kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
| 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 19% above U.S. |
$173,400±$16kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31kHighest 25% 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 | — | $890±$102Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,681Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.4%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Champlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | — | #54 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | NORTHEASTERN CLINTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.

