Compare towns

Brookline vs Ripton vs Walpole vs Hyde Park

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k 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.

MeasureBrooklineRiptonWalpoleHyde Park
People
Population
531
508Lowest
3,690Highest
513
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+25.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
45.1±2.7
16% above U.S.
47.7±14.2Highest
23% above U.S.
46.5±10.4
20% above U.S.
42.6±10.1Lowest
10% above U.S.
Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20%±6
U.S.: 22%
11.8%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.2%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
22.6%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Hyde Park and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
30.5%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.5%±5.4
U.S.: 17.2%
16.4%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
48%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
32.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
41%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
20.1%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
2.1%±2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$80,833±$16kLowest
about the U.S. average
$112,917±$15kHighest
40% above U.S.
$82,617±$16k
about the U.S. average
$89,946±$10k
11% above U.S.
Ripton and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$290,700±$37k
13% below U.S.
$394,400±$61kHighest
19% above U.S.
$319,800±$48k
4% below U.S.
$221,800±$57kLowest
33% below U.S.
Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
—
$1,165±$150Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,306±$285
8% below U.S.
Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,000
60% above U.S.
$4,915
58% above U.S.
$6,078Highest
95% above U.S.
$3,893Lowest
25% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.8%±94.7
U.S.: 51.1%
52.9%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
51.6%±21.9
U.S.: 51.1%
42.1%±47.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
90.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1964Lowest
16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
8% above U.S.
24 min
9% below U.S.
23 minLowest
13% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
20.6%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.2%±8.7
U.S.: 15.1%
7.2%±4.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.9%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline 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 — — #27 of 120 in NH #59 of 70 in VT
School district — Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 Fall Mountain Regional School District —
High school in town — None in town None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.