Compare towns
Ripton vs Dover vs Lincoln 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%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Lincoln has the most affordable homes ($365k 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 | Dover | Lincoln | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
33,364Highest |
1,394 |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
45.7±3.6 17% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Lincoln 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% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Lincoln 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Lincoln 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% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%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% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$96,667±$18k 20% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Lincoln 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. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$365,200±$30kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Dover and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,100 96% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Middlebury 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% 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. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Dover School District | Lincoln Town School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.