Compare towns
Ripton vs Chenango vs Reading 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%).
Chenango has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Chenango | Reading | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
10,787Highest |
699 |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
41±2.8 5% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chenango and Reading 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% |
22.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$86,646±$9k 7% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$172,000±$9kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% 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 | — | $1,038±$97Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Reading 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. |
$3,700Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #233 of 484 in NY | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | 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 | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.