Compare towns
Ripton vs Vershire vs Middlebury vs Salisbury
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%).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Vershire | Middlebury | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
842 |
9,175Highest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury 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 VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Vershire and Salisbury 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% |
22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$71,618±$12kLowest 12% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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 |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,117±$80Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Middlebury 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 |
$4,640Lowest 8% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Ripton 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
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| 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.