Compare towns
Bethel vs Ripton vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the most kids (16.6% 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 | Bethel | Ripton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
| Bethel and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Lowest 8% above VT |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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 |
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.