Compare towns
Bennington vs Mendon vs Ripton vs St. Johnsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most renters (45.3% rent).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Bennington | Mendon | Ripton | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
1,113 |
508Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.5±3 3% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±3 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.5% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$57,738±$9k 29% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,700±$28k 39% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$57 10% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
— | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Mendon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,331 14% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and St. Johnsbury 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — | #60 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.