Compare towns
Ripton vs Milton vs Middlebury vs St. George
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%).
Milton has the highest household income ($119k).
Middlebury has the most renters (34.9% rent).
St. George has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Milton | Middlebury | St. George |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
10,769Highest |
9,175 |
812 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+17.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
41.6±2.5 3% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.7±13.4 4% above VT |
| Ripton and St. George 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% |
17.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.6%±7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. George and Milton 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% |
16%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.9%±3.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$109,464±$34k 35% above VT |
| Milton 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 25% above VT |
$372,500±$20kLowest 18% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$376,800±$50k 19% 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 | — | $1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
$1,394±$132 13% above VT |
| Milton and St. George 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 |
$5,610 11% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,514 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
96%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. George and Milton 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% |
3.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
27.6%±8.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. George 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 | — | #56 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Milton School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Milton Senior High School | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.