Compare towns
Ripton vs Middlebury vs Strafford vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Strafford | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,372 |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
| Strafford and Andover 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%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Andover 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% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
43.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
| Ripton and Strafford 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±$30k 29% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$382,900±$68kLowest 21% above VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
| Andover and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$5,190 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Ripton 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% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Middlebury 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 | — | #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 | Strafford School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.