Compare towns
Chester vs Erwin vs Ripton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Erwin has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Chester | Erwin | Ripton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
7,965Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.8±2Lowest 13% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| Chester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Erwin and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$88,333±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$223,700±$26kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,271±$136Highest 10% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,829 87% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Erwin and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 43% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #431 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.