Compare towns
Ripton vs Stratton vs Putnam 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
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($266k median).
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 | Stratton | Putnam | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
532 |
540 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
31.5±4.1Lowest 19% below U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7 18% below U.S. |
| Putnam 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% |
28%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.7%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam 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% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%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% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$122,708±$33kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$92,344±$14k 14% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Stratton 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±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$400,000±$50k 20% above U.S. |
$266,200±$48kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,208±$979Highest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Stratton 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. |
$4,750 52% above U.S. |
$3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±69.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±5.7 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 | — | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | PUTNAM CENTRAL 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.