Compare towns
Ripton vs Dorset 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%).
Dorset has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Dorset | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
2,092 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Ripton and Dorset 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% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kLowest 25% above VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Dorset and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 8% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | 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 Our Story | 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.