Compare towns
Andover vs Hardwick vs Ripton vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Andover | Hardwick | Ripton | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
2,965Highest |
508Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1Highest 14% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Andover and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$88,000±$15kLowest 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68k 21% above VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
— | $900±$136 27% below VT |
| Andover and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190Highest about the VT average |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Walden 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% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Walden 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.