Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Ripton vs Windham 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k 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 | Ripton | Windham | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
2,060 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
| Ripton and Windsor 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
— | — | $1,002±$107Lowest 19% 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 | $4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
51.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | 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 | 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.