Compare towns
Dover vs Whiting vs Ripton vs Wardsboro
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 people working from home (23.2%).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Whiting | Ripton | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
532 |
508Lowest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Wardsboro 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
| Ripton and Whiting 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 |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% 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 |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
— | $1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,345 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Wardsboro 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% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Ripton 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.