Compare towns
Cavendish vs Dorset vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Dorset | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
2,092Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29kLowest 10% above VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
— |
| Dorset and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset 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 VT: 10.1% |
11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 8% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.