Compare towns
Benson vs Ripton vs Stockbridge vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benson has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Benson | Ripton | Stockbridge | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 784 |
508Lowest |
791Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
55.3±5.3Highest 28% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Stockbridge and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
35% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±5.8 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,625±$8k 3% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$77,109±$12kLowest 5% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above 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 | $242,000±$26kLowest 24% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$283,500±$26k 10% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$170Lowest 10% below VT |
— | $1,140±$126Highest 8% below VT |
— |
| Stockbridge and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,125Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,488 11% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±35.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Benson and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 35% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.6%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| 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.