Compare towns
Ripton vs Strafford vs Jay 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%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Strafford | Jay | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508 |
1,372 |
471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Jay 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 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Jay 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% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
| Middlebury and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | Strafford School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.