Compare towns
Rochester vs Ripton vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Rochester | Ripton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389 |
508Lowest |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Ripton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% 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 | $929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
— | $1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
| Middlebury and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Middlebury 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.