Compare towns
Chittenden vs Ripton vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chittenden has the most kids (13.8% under 18).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Chittenden | Ripton | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,318Highest |
508 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Chittenden and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$28k 31% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$97,500±$14kLowest 20% above VT |
| Ripton and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,800±$35k 10% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
| Ripton and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$488Highest 9% below VT |
— | $1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
| Chittenden and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346 6% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.