Compare towns
Athens vs Dover vs Ripton vs Whiting
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).
Dover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% 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 | Athens | Dover | Ripton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,466Highest |
508 |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Dover and Ripton 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Whiting 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 |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
— | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Ripton 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.