Compare towns
Ripton vs Windham vs Strafford 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%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($316k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Windham | Strafford | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,432 |
1,372 |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
56.5±5.1Highest 45% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Strafford 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% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Ripton 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% |
43.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$76,477±$17kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Strafford 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. |
$315,600±$74kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $850±$295Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Strafford 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. |
$3,363Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Ripton 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | Strafford School District | 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 |
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.