Compare towns
Ripton vs Strafford 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%).
Strafford has the most kids (17.6% 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 | Strafford | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
4,306 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1 19% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Strafford 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% |
17.6%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2%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% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 19% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,635±$246Highest 16% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford 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% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | — | #73 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford 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 |
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.