Compare towns
Ripton vs Williston vs Bow 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%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Williston | Bow | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
10,144Highest |
8,335 |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Williston 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Bow and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Williston and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Bow School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| 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.