Compare towns
Fairfield vs Reading vs Ripton vs Bradford
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bradford has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Fairfield | Reading | Ripton | Bradford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938 |
699 |
508Lowest |
2,827Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
42.7±3.1 about the VT average |
| Reading 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% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.1%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Bradford 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% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$108,162±$15k 33% above VT |
| Ripton and Bradford 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 |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$258,600±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
— | $1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
| Bradford and Reading 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 |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,472Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 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 |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Ripton 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 | — | — | — | #45 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Oxbow Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.5 |
| 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.