Compare towns
Brandon vs Andover vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Brandon | Andover | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
616 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
| Brandon and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
43.3% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$382,900±$68k 21% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
— |
| Andover and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,190Highest about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
82.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Andover 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.