Compare towns
Athens vs Ripton vs Whiting vs Westminster
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).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Ripton | Whiting | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
508 |
532 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Westminster 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
— | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.