Compare towns
Athens vs Peru 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).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
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 | Peru | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
434 |
508Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +25.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Athens and Ripton 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% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Athens 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% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Peru 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 |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Peru 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 |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Peru 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Athens 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% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Ripton 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 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.