Compare towns
Salisbury vs Dunbarton vs Ripton 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
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Dunbarton has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Salisbury | Dunbarton | Ripton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,200 |
3,097 |
508Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunbarton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$484,100±$33kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
— | $1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,233Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 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 | — | #33 of 120 in NH | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Dunbarton School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None 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.