Compare towns
Columbus vs Ripton vs Burns
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Columbus has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Burns has the most affordable homes ($101k median).
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 | Columbus | Ripton | Burns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 849 |
508Lowest |
888Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±11.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.9±7.1 13% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Columbus and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.4%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,889±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$64,491±$6k 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $124,700±$36k 63% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$100,800±$18kLowest 70% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$635Highest 6% above U.S. |
— | $942±$139Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Columbus and Burns are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,071 about the U.S. average |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$2,783Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±92.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±48.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Columbus and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.2%±16.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbus and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.