Compare towns
Belvidere vs Westminster vs Ripton vs Bakersfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Bakersfield has the most homeowners (94%).
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 | Belvidere | Westminster | Ripton | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 422Lowest |
497 |
508 |
1,109Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
46.4±8 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.4% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18k about the VT average |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$83,462±$18k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51kLowest 24% below VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
— | $1,200±$327 about the VT average |
| Belvidere and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Belvidere and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 60% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 min 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school 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.