Compare towns
Ripton vs Cornwall vs Exeter 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%).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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 | Cornwall | Exeter | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,208 |
913 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Cornwall 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% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Cornwall 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% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Exeter 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% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$77,550±$19kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Ripton 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. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$243,000±$89kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Cornwall 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. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall 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% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall 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 | 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 | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.