Compare towns
Athens vs Jay vs Ripton vs Grafton
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 renters (26.3% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | Jay | Ripton | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
471 |
508 |
666Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
| Grafton and Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Ripton 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% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
7.1%±5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$76,111±$7k 6% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Grafton 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 |
— | — | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
| Grafton 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 |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,843 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
89.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Athens Grafton School District |
| 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.