Compare towns
Sutton vs Ryegate vs Middlebury vs Burke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 46.6).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Burke has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Sutton | Ryegate | Middlebury | Burke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790Lowest |
1,059 |
9,175Highest |
1,317 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7Highest 8% above VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
41.1±4.8 5% below VT |
| Sutton and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$87,143±$17kHighest 7% above VT |
| Burke and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$340,600±$18k 8% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$938±$191 24% below VT |
| Middlebury and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 21% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,177 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
74.6%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Burke and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
10%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 26% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Burke 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.