Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Ripton vs Salisbury vs Rockingham
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 renters (49.3% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Ripton | Salisbury | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
| Salisbury 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Rockingham 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Salisbury and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Rockingham 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham 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 | — | — | — | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.