Compare towns
Brighton vs Cornwall vs Orleans vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Orleans has the youngest population (median age 41.7).
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 | Brighton | Cornwall | Orleans | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,167 |
1,208Highest |
809 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,125±$206Highest 9% below VT |
$810±$94 34% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360 33% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
31 min 33% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brighton School District | 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 | 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.