Compare towns
Ripton vs Newfields vs Westminster 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 oldest population (median age 47.7).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% 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 | Newfields | Westminster | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508 |
2,023 |
497Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Newfields 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% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest 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% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Westminster 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Newfields School District | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.