Compare towns
Calais vs Poultney vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Poultney has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
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 | Calais | Poultney | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Highest |
1,033 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-33.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 about the VT average |
28.2±4.5Lowest 35% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.8%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Poultney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Lowest VT: 7% |
22.1%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Poultney and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$70,536±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$196,600±$43kLowest 38% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$868±$113Lowest 30% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,450Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
23.2%±12.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
56.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais 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 | — | #41 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.