Compare towns
Salisbury vs Plainfield 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 kids (16.6% under 18).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Middlebury has the most renters (34.9% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Ripton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,200 |
1,016 |
508Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest 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. |
34.5±6.6 11% below 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%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Plainfield 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% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest 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% |
14.9%±11.2 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. |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
— | $1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842 55% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% 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% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older 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. |
29 minHighest 11% 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% |
11.5%±4.7 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 | — | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | 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 | 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.