Compare towns
Salisbury vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Needham | Ripton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,200 |
32,459Highest |
508Lowest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% 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. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Ripton 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Needham and Salisbury 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%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% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% 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% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Needham | 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 | Needham High | None in town | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Lowest |
— | 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.