Compare towns
Ripton vs Dummerston vs Peru vs Middletown Springs
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Middletown Springs has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
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 | Dummerston | Peru | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508 |
2,090Highest |
434Lowest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +6.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
49.2±5.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Middletown Springs 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Middletown Springs and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.1%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$82,000±$12kLowest about the VT average |
| Peru 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 25% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$262,200±$24kLowest 17% below VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
$1,208±$438Lowest about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,595 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.