Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs North Westminster vs Ripton
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).
North Westminster has the most people working from home (37.3%).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
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 | North Westminster | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
125Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
59.5±9.3Highest 38% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| North Westminster 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% |
0%±22.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
44%±40.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| North Westminster and Ripton 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% |
52%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 VT: 7% |
0%±11.3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
— | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$171,500±$128kLowest 46% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 12% below VT |
$2,938Lowest 42% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— | 52.9%±100Highest 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
— | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
37.3%±23.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| North Westminster 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.