Compare towns
Bristol vs Ryegate vs Wolcott
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 expensive homes ($337k median).
Ryegate has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Wolcott has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Ryegate | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,059Lowest |
1,507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
| Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Wolcott 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% |
22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kHighest 8% below VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
| Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
| Bristol and Wolcott 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 |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$3,930 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Ryegate 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% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and Wolcott 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 | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.