Compare towns
Dover vs Ripton vs Goshen vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (18.9% rent).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Goshen has the most homeowners (100%).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Dover | Ripton | Goshen | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
508 |
142Lowest |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7% VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
| Goshen and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.6%±11.6 VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Townshend and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Goshen and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
42.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±10Lowest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$56,250±$33k 31% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Ripton and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$330,000±$115k 4% above VT |
$287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
— | — | $1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,240 4% above VT |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
— | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.