Compare towns
Ripton vs Sandgate vs Walpole 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 highest household income ($113k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Sandgate | Walpole | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508 |
435Lowest |
3,690 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Sandgate and Ripton 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% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Sandgate 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% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%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% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Fall Mountain Regional 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.