Compare towns
Bow vs Chester vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Bow | Chester | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,992 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
| Chester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.