Compare towns
Arlington vs Mendon vs Ripton vs Duxbury
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%).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Duxbury has the most renters (17.6% rent).
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 | Mendon | Ripton | Duxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,598Highest |
1,113 |
508Lowest |
1,548 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
37.5±4.4Lowest 13% below VT |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.5%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$100,524±$23kLowest 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$105,208±$25k 30% above VT |
| Ripton and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59kLowest about the VT average |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$364,600±$27k 15% above VT |
| Ripton and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Lowest 3% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
— | $1,318±$407Highest 7% above VT |
| Duxbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,564Highest 30% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
21.2%±21Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Arlington 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Mendon 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Arlington School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | — | None in town | Harwood Union Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
— | — | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.