Compare towns
Essex vs Ripton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Essex has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k 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 | Essex | Ripton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Essex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,199±$14k 36% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
| Ripton and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,300±$14kHighest 41% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20kLowest 12% above VT |
| Essex and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,569±$138 27% above VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,602Highest 31% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 14 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Essex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.