Compare towns
Cavendish vs Ripton vs Rochester
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 kids (18.3% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Ripton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
508Lowest |
1,389Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| 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 10% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Highest 19% below VT |
— | $929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Cavendish and Rochester 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 |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| 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.