Compare towns
Andover vs Rochester vs Reading vs Ripton
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 renters (17.2% rent).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Reading has the most kids (18.5% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Rochester | Reading | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
1,389Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
| Rochester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% 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 |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above 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 |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
— |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190 about the VT average |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Reading 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.