Compare towns
Ripton vs Middlebury vs Lincoln
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Lincoln has the most kids (15.1% under 18).
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 | Middlebury | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,394 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45.7±3.6 6% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Lincoln and Ripton 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% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
43.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$96,667±$18k 19% above VT |
| 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 25% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$365,200±$30kLowest 15% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$870±$47Lowest 29% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,100 21% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
49.1%±25.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lincoln Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.