Compare towns
Brandon vs Ripton vs Whiting
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 affordable homes ($228k median).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
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 | Ripton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
508Lowest |
532 |
| 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 |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Brandon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Whiting 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
— | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241 16% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Whiting 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town | 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.