Compare towns
Salisbury vs Middlebury vs Strafford vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Middlebury | Strafford | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,200 |
9,175Highest |
1,372 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Strafford and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Strafford and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
— |
| Salisbury and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 20% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.