Compare towns
Barton vs Ripton vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Barton | Ripton | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Highest |
508 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% 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 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 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+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| Ripton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
— | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
| Athens and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Ripton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| 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.