Compare towns
Ripton vs Union vs Middlebury vs Hancock
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 the most homeowners (90.9%).
Union has the most affordable homes ($150k 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 | Union | Middlebury | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508 |
55,078Highest |
9,175 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.4±1.2 6% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
33.8±11.6 13% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Union 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% |
19%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Hancock 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% |
21.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
33%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$61,713±$2kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Middlebury 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. |
$149,900±$5kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$187,900±$11k 44% below 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 | — | $936±$37Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
$939±$19 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,200 35% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest 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% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
18 min 33% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5 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 | — | #199 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.