Compare towns
Chester vs Ripton vs Sutton 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 most affordable homes ($233k median).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sutton has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Sutton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992Highest |
508Lowest |
2,239 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Chester and Sutton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest 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% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Sutton 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. |
— | $1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 10.4Highest |
— |
| 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.