Compare towns
Ripton vs Westminster vs Colrain 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%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Colrain has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
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 | Westminster | Colrain | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
2,999 |
1,627 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Colrain 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% |
18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Colrain 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% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Colrain 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% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%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% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$86,169±$16k 7% above 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14k 15% 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 | — | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Colrain 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Lowest 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Middlebury 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Mohawk Trail | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
— | 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.