Compare towns
Grafton vs Peru vs Ripton vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Grafton | Peru | Ripton | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4 37% above VT |
45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waltham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7kLowest 6% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$97,500±$14k 20% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
— | $1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
| Grafton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.