Compare towns
Bristol vs Windham 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).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Vergennes has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Windham | Ripton | Vergennes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
594 |
508Lowest |
2,565 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
46.6±2.1 8% above VT |
| Bristol and Ripton 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.2%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Vergennes 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
42.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$76,587±$13k 6% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$310,000±$24kLowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
— | — | $1,000±$267Lowest 19% below VT |
| Bristol and Vergennes 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 |
$5,951 18% 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% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.9%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Bristol 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 9% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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.