Compare towns
Fairfield vs Proctor vs Ripton vs Worcester
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).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Proctor | Ripton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938Highest |
1,794 |
508Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 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% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Proctor 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% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Ripton and Fairfield 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 |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Ripton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441Highest 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor 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 |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Proctor 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% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | 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.