Compare towns
Fairfield vs Mendon vs Proctor vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Fairfield | Mendon | Proctor | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938Highest |
1,113 |
1,794 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$74,167±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22k about the VT average |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
— |
| Mendon and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816 4% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.