Compare towns
Ripton vs Saco 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Saco has the most kids (16.7% 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 | Saco | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
20,819Highest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Saco 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% |
16.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Saco 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Saco and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,249±$385Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Saco and Middlebury 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. |
$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Saco 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Saco Public Schools | 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 |
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.