Compare towns
Ripton vs Erwin vs Painted Post 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%).
Erwin has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Painted Post has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
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 | Erwin | Painted Post | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
7,965 |
1,824 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.8±2 13% above U.S. |
45.7±5.2 17% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Painted Post 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% |
20.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Erwin and Painted Post 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% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Painted Post 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% |
49.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%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% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$88,333±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$62,891±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Erwin 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. |
$223,700±$26k 33% below U.S. |
$155,900±$13kLowest 53% below 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 | — | $1,271±$136Highest 10% below U.S. |
$839±$281Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Erwin and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,829 87% above U.S. |
$5,442 74% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.4%±18.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Painted Post and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 43% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
16 min 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | — | #431 of 484 in NY | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | 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.