Compare towns
Ripton vs Whiting vs Franklin 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 the highest household income ($113k).
Franklin has the most affordable homes ($247k 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 | Whiting | Franklin | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
532 |
1,590 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
38.8±6.9 10% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Ripton and Whiting 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% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±5.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
15.3%±1.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
7.5%±3.1 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$79,917±$21kLowest about the VT average |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Whiting 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 |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$247,400±$66kLowest 22% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$891±$266Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
| Whiting 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 |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$3,384Lowest 33% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
45.5%±42.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
74.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 min 7% below VT |
25 minHighest 8% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.1%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Franklin 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None 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.