Compare towns
Bristol vs Mendon vs Ripton vs Vergennes
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Vergennes has the most affordable homes ($310k median).
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 | Bristol | Mendon | Ripton | Vergennes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,113 |
508Lowest |
2,565 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
46.6±2.1Lowest 8% above VT |
| Mendon and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.2%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Vergennes and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
42.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$76,587±$13k 6% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$310,000±$24kLowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
— | $1,000±$267Lowest 19% below VT |
| Bristol and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,578 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.9%±17.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 min 9% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — | #22 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | None in town | Vergennes Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | — | 7.7Lowest |
| 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.