Compare towns
Dummerston vs Ripton vs Windham vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Dummerston | Ripton | Windham | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Ripton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Lowest 13% above VT |
— | — | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.