Compare towns
Athens vs Cornwall vs Mendon vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Cornwall has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Athens | Cornwall | Mendon | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,208Highest |
1,113 |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest 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+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% 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 | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.