Compare towns
Cavendish vs Colrain vs Reading vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Cavendish | Colrain | Reading | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,627Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
| Reading and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$80,673±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 14% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
— |
| Colrain and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mohawk Trail | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.