Compare towns
Athens vs Reading vs Ripton vs Townshend
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).
Reading has the most kids (18.5% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Reading | Ripton | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
699 |
508 |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend and Reading 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% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading 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% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading 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 |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
— | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
| Athens and Reading 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 |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Reading 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% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.