Compare towns
Ripton vs Windham vs Barre vs Middletown Springs
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 the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Barre has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Middletown Springs has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Barre | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
594 |
5,572Highest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middletown Springs and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Middletown Springs 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% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$82,000±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
$262,200±$24kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Barre 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$4,595Lowest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | — | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Quabbin | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.