Compare towns
Brandon vs Ripton vs Winhall
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 highest household income ($113k).
Winhall has grown the fastest since 2010 (+53.7%).
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 | Brandon | Ripton | Winhall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
508Lowest |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7% VT: +2.8% |
+53.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
48.9±6.1 13% above VT |
| Brandon and Winhall 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17%±6.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Winhall 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% |
20.6%±5.3Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
67.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$95,500±$23k 18% above VT |
| Ripton and Winhall 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±$61k 25% above VT |
$471,800±$55kHighest 49% above VT |
| Winhall and Ripton 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 |
— | $1,094±$732Highest 11% below VT |
| Winhall 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,567Highest 30% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.5%±38.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Brandon 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% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.4%±9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Winhall 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.


