Compare towns
Ripton vs Shelburne vs Middlebury
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%).
Shelburne has the most kids (20.2% under 18).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
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 | Shelburne | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
7,969 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Shelburne 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 VT: 17.9% |
20.2%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Shelburne 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% |
29.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
70.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
4.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
| Shelburne 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±$61kLowest 25% above VT |
$588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,442±$589Highest 17% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Shelburne 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 |
$8,173Highest 62% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.7%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
69.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 14% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #8 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 Our Story | 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.