Compare towns
Ripton vs Methuen vs Salisbury 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 the most homeowners (90.9%).
Methuen has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k 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 | Methuen | Salisbury | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
53,475Highest |
1,200 |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Salisbury 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% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Methuen 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 19% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest 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 | — | #236 of 282 in MA | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Methuen | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
— | 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.