Compare towns
Ripton vs St. George vs Unity 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%).
St. George has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
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 | St. George | Unity | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
812 |
1,375 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
44.7±13.4 15% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Unity 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% |
25.6%±7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Ripton 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% |
53.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%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% |
5.9%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$109,464±$34k 36% above U.S. |
$87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and St. George 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. |
$376,800±$50k 13% above U.S. |
$276,100±$29kLowest 17% 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 | — | $1,394±$132 about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Unity 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 58% above U.S. |
$5,514 77% above U.S. |
$5,394 73% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
96%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. George and Ripton 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% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 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 min 9% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Unity 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.