Compare towns
Ripton vs Warren vs Brookline vs Middlebury
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%).
Warren has the most people working from home (36.2%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Warren | Brookline | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,585 |
531 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.1±4.2Highest 23% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Warren 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% |
9.3%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Ripton 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% |
30.1%±4.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Warren 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% |
60%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
3.6%±4 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,905±$16k 7% above VT |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Warren 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 |
$569,300±$123kHighest 80% above VT |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,750±$394Highest 42% above VT |
$1,732±$232 40% above VT |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Warren and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$7,284Highest 45% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$6,868 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
32.3%±26.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
15.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
36.2%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — | 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 |
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.