Compare towns
Ripton vs Gray vs Middlebury vs Lincoln
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%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Gray | Middlebury | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
8,429 |
9,175Highest |
1,394 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
45.7±3.6 17% above 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% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 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% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$96,667±$18k 20% 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. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$365,200±$30k 10% 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 | — | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$6,100 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lincoln Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.