Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Jay vs Ripton vs Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Jay | Ripton | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
471Lowest |
508 |
3,554Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Jay and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Ripton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
— | — | $1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 12% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 min 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | — | — | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.