Compare towns
Ripton vs Sutton vs Cavendish 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%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k 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 | Sutton | Cavendish | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
2,239 |
1,242 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Cavendish 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Cavendish 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%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% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% 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 | — | $1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27 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% |
4.8%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% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Cavendish 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.