Compare towns
Berlin vs Fairlee vs Ripton vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 63.5).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
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 | Berlin | Fairlee | Ripton | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,880 |
54Lowest |
508 |
8,014Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.6±2.4 17% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Montpelier and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,600±$31kLowest 14% below VT |
$277,500±$28k 12% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
| Ripton and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$171 5% below VT |
$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
— | $1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT |
| Montpelier and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418 12% below VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
57.5% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
— | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier and Fairlee 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 | #16 of 70 in VT | — | — | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.