Compare towns
Ripton vs Upton vs Worcester 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%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Upton | Worcester | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
8,189 |
831 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Upton 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Worcester 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
— | 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.