Compare towns
Arlington vs Cornwall vs Ripton vs Shaftsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Arlington | Cornwall | Ripton | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598 |
1,208 |
508Lowest |
3,607Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$86,071±$24kLowest 6% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59k about the VT average |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$267,300±$24kLowest 16% below VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
— | $1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Arlington and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 10% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Cornwall 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 | #50 of 70 in VT | — | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.