Compare towns
Ripton vs Wolfeboro vs Middlebury vs St. George
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%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
St. George has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
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 | Wolfeboro | Middlebury | St. George |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
6,571 |
9,175Highest |
812 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
44.7±13.4 15% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro 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% |
45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$109,464±$34k 36% above U.S. |
| Ripton and St. George 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. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$376,800±$50kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,394±$132Highest about the U.S. average |
| St. George and Middlebury 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. |
$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$5,514 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
96%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. George 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. George and Wolfeboro 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 | — | #46 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
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.